New Traffic Fatality Data
On July 2, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the number of overall traffic fatalities reported in 2008 hit their lowest level since 1961 and that fatalities in the first three months of 2009 continue to decrease.  The fatality rate, which accounts for variables like fewer miles traveled, also reached the lowest level ever recorded.
 
The fatality data for 2008 placed the highway death count at 37,261, a drop of 9.7 percent from 2007. The fatality rate for 2008 was 1.27 persons per 100 million VMT, about 7 percent below the rate of 1.36 recorded for 2007.  Substantial declines occurred in virtually every major category.  Alcohol-impaired fatalities declined by more than 9 percent over 2007.  For the complete press release, go to www.nhtsa.gov.  
 
 
 
 
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/QueryTool/QuerySection/SelectYear.aspx

Child Passenger Safety Week Planner
NHTSA's 2009 online Child Passenger Safety Week (CPS Week) Planner is now available HERE . (There is also a link to the planner and the materials for all of NHTSA's traffic safety campaigns at http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/.)
 
CPS Week will be celebrated this year from September 12-18, and will be kicked off by National Seat Check Saturday on September 12.