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State Traffic Fatalities Continue Below Benchmark
(IRN) -- Illinois is on its way to a second year in a row with highway fatalities under 1,000.

According to the Illinois State Police and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, if everything goes as trends show, the number of deaths on Illinois' roadways this year will be under 1,000. Fatalities were under 1,000 last year with 911 vehicular deaths.

NHTSA Deputy Regional Administrator John Balser says besides 2009, deaths on Illinois' roadways haven’t been below 1,000 since 1921.

Recent years' numbers:

2005 - 1,363 fatalities
2006 - 1,254 fatalities
2007 - 1,248 fatalities
2008 - 1,043 fatalities
2009 - 911 fatalities
2010, as of Dec. 22 - 902 fatalities (on pace for 924)

Illinois State Police attribute increased seat belt usage and increased seat belt enforcement efforts as contributing factors to the decline in fatalities.

(Illinois Radio Network)
12 24 10 by Newsroom
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