Significant Reduction in Highway Deaths in 2009

"A statistical projection of traffic fatalities in 2009 shows that an estimated 33,963 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes. This represents a decline of about 8.9 percent as compared to the
37,261 fatalities that occurred in 2008 [...]. If these projections are realized, fatalities will be lowest on record (since 1954)."

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811291.PDF [2]