The Florida Highway Patrol announces that for the fifth year in a row, the traffic fatality rate has fell. In 2009, the traffic fatality rate fell to a record low level of 2,563 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled for a fatality rate of 1.30. Not only did the fatality rate fall, but the total number of yearly fatalities also fell for the fourth consecutive year in a row.

Authorities with Florida’s Department of Transportation and the DHSMV credit law enforcement efforts to curb drunk and impaired driving, ticket driver’s for failure to wear a seat belt, enforce speeding and traffic violations, and other efforts.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will publish the Traffic Crash Statistics Report for 2008. The report will provide a wealth of information on traffic fatalities, rates of personal injury after car accidents, and vehicle crashes including trend analysis, statistics, and driver demographics.

Year      Fatalities      Fatality Rate*
2005      3,533                1.77
2006      3,365                1.65
2007      3,221                 1.57
2008      2,983                1.50
2009      2,563                 1.30

Click here to read more about the recent announcement of the Florida DOT and DHSMV – Florida Highway Patrol’s Press Releases.