Louisiana safety officials said Monday traffic deaths and injuries in the state in 2008 took the sharpest decline in 15 years. In 2008, 913 people were killed in Louisiana traffic crashes, an 8.2% decline from the previous year, according to the 2008 Louisiana Traffic Records Data Report. A total of 75,883 people were injured in crashes last year, a 3.8% decline from 2007. Lt. Col. John LeBlanc, executive director of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, says exact causes of the declines are difficult to identify but that a number of factors could have contributed to the improvements. LeBlanc says the weakened national economy, high gas prices, changes in driving behaviors, stricter laws, increased enforcement by state police and local agencies, and safety programs conducted by the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission could be contributing factors.
Louisiana traffic deaths take sharp drop in 2008
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