PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Traffic fatalities in Pennsylvania were up last year after hitting a historic low in 2009.
There were 1,324 traffic deaths last year; 68 more than the all-time low year of 2009.
But PennDOT spokesman Steve Chizmar says last year’s total was still 144 below the number of fatalities in 2008, “So you know, we’re still below just a few short years ago. And you know, for instance, back in 1970 there were 2,255 highway fatalities.”
Alcohol-related traffic deaths were up slightly last year, to 444 but still significantly lower than the 531 recorded in 2008 and 525 the year before that.
On the other hand, there were 524 fatalities involving unbuckled victims, an increase of 73 over the previous year, while deaths involving junior drivers jumped from 40 to 57 last year.
Reported By Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio.
