FHP Says Highway Death Toll is Down
Thursday, January 7, 2010
By: Tom Parkinson

January 7th, 2010 - The Florida Highway Patrol has released figures showing traffic deaths were down considerably in 2009. The preliminary figures show 2,570 deaths on Florida highways last year, 416 fewer than in 2008. That's the lowest number of highway fatalities since 1992 even though Florida's population has increased by about 5 million during those 18 years. A Highway Patrol spokesman says the depressed economy may have been a factor as fewer people drove to work or to shops. But the patrol says driver behavior is the most significant factor. Police have been cracking down on careless and impaired drivers. The Highway Patrol also credits Florida's new mandatory seat belt law. A spokesman says fewer people are dying in crashes that would likely have be fatal if the drivers and passengers had not been buckled in.