I read last week that the U.S. was at just over 32,000 highway deaths for the 2011 year with this year's figures not final.I hope that any higher death toll for 2012 will be an exception and deaths will be reduced in the future. I think that the death toll will continue to improve because of side airbags & other safety features on automobiles. Any death on the highway is tragic, but I am glad safety has improved significantly since I was a high school student during the mid-1970s when I think the death toll was over 50,000 per year. Today, we have millions of more drivers on the roads, so we have made some improvements. Improved child restraint seats have also been effective at preventing deaths for child passengers. My grandson is getting close to his 1st birthday & growing. We had the discussion today about changing the seat that he is outgrowing and getting out the bigger one from the attic that my 4 yr. old grand daughter has also outgrown.
Alcohol has caused many highway deaths over the years but law enforcement officers continue to find better ways to get drunk drivers off the road. Campaigns to encourage designated drivers and to increase driver safety awareness has also helped.The decrease in highway deaths would be even more if drivers would be more responsible and refrain from cell phone use and texting.

michael d.