In 2010, Florida experienced 2,430 traffic crash fatalities, a three-decade low number of traffic crash fatalities and an annual decrease of more than five percent, according to preliminary data released from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on Monday. By comparison, 2,563 people died in traffic crashes in 2009. The number of crash fatalities in 2010 is the lowest the state has seen since 1978 even though the Sunshine State’s population has doubled since that time.
“It is encouraging to see the number of traffic fatalities continue to drop, and the Department will continue our efforts to educate motorists and aggressively enforce the traffic laws to create the safest possible driving environment,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “Unfortunately, we know all too well the devastating impact that even a single fatality resulting from a careless, inattentive or impaired driver can have on a family and community.”
The final count for 2010 will be made available later this year when the Department publishes its annual Traffic Crash Statistics Report 2010. Reports from previous years are available online at www.flhsmv.gov/html/safety.html.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of people between the ages of 5 – 34. The CDC reports, “seat belt use is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes” and “using seat belts reduces serious injuries and deaths in crashes by about 50 percent.”
