Traffiffic deaths surge in U.S., state

Experts say improving economy, cheaper gas mean more drivers.

Florida ranks near the top of a list that highlights a concerning trend in the fifirst six months of 2015.

The nation has seen a signifificant increase of fatal traffific crashes nationwide with the Sunshine State third in total number of fatal crashes and second in percentage increase, according to data estimates from the National Safety Council.

The reasons are largely economic, said Ken Kolosh, manager of statistics for

A strengthening economy and lower gas prices are an

impetus for more drivers on the road, which in turn causes more fatal crashes. If the current pace slightly increases, the country could hit 40,000 fatal crashes for the fifirst time since 2007. Through 2015’s fifirst six months, it is 18,630.

“What we’re experiencing here is a rebound from the post-recession (statistics),” Kolosh said.

A 29 percent increase in Florida from last year — more than double the national average — represents a jump from 1,114 to 1,441 from the fifirst six months of 2014.

Florida trails only Oregon (59 percent) in percentage increase and Texas 1,643) and California (1,566) for total deaths through six months. Florida is in third by a large margin — more than double No. 4 Georgia (657).

Nationally, there has been a 14 percent increase from 2014 and 12 percent increase from 2013. Thirty- fifififififive of 50 states have seen an increase from last year.

The numbers from 2008 through 2014 dropped into the 30,000s for the fifirst time since 1961. The low point came in 2011 when the 35,303 death total was the lowest since 1950.

But a 30 percent Drinking and driving Speeding Not wearing a seat belt Distractions including texting

decrease in gas prices from last year has resulted in a 3.4 percent increase in cumulative vehicle mileage through May, the NSC report says. The country is up to 1.54 trillion miles in the fifirst half of 2015, an all-time record besting the pre- vious mark from 2007, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Simply put, more drivers on the road usually leads to more fatal crashes, said Russ Rader, a spokesman for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

“When the economy is plugging along, there’s more driving, and more driving means more exposure, more crashes,” he said.

A stronger economy can also make people more likely to do something unsafe like drive drunk, Rader said.