Alabama Highway Deaths Decline

Officials say highway deaths in Alabama have significantly dropped this year thanks to stricter law enforcement and higher fuel costs that reduced traffic.

The number of fatalities dropped 18 percent this year with 600 deaths on Alabama highways as of Friday. There were 735 deaths on the same date in 2007.

Federal transportation officials say highway deaths across the nation declined by 10 percent through October, from 34,502 in October 2007 to 31,110 this year. Through October, Americans have driven about 100 billion fewer miles than last year.

The decrease came shortly after gasoline costs started rocketing skyward last spring. Alabama motorists drove 8.8 percent fewer miles when gas prices spiked in August, at more than $4 a gallon.

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Information from: The Birmingham News