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Preliminary stats: 2,986 deaths on Florida roads in '08
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- According to preliminary data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 2,986 people died on Florida roads in 2008.
The department said that's the lowest the statistic has been in eight years. The last time Florida's total number of fatalities was less than 3,000 was in 2000 when there were 2,999 fatalities.
State traffic deaths in 2008 were down 235, a seven percent reduction, from 2007 when 3,221 people died and there were 325 fewer deaths than the five-year average of 3,311.
Although the numbers of fatalities are similar for 2000 and 2008, the state's population grew by more than 2.8 million, an increase of nearly 18 percent.
"While the number of fatalities has decreased, which is good news, even one death on our highways is still too many," said Electra Theodorides-Bustle, the executive director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. "We need to be vigilant about education and enforcement activities that help keep our highways safe. While the Department will continue to do everything we can to safeguard motorists, every driver has a responsibility to observe Florida's traffic laws and to exercise safe driving habits."
The numbers are still preliminary; the final counts for 2008 will be made available later this year when the department publishes its annual traffic crash statistics report.
Reports from previous years are available at http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/safety.html
Florida Highway Patrol Activity - 2008
- 406,482 unlawful speed arrests
- 10,723 Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests
- 8,320 felony arrests
- 230,515 crash investigations
- 313,087 written warnings issued
- 942 stolen vehicles recovered
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