Pennsylvania recorded the second-lowest number of traffic fatalities last year since record-keeping began in 1928.
In a news release today, PennDOT reported there were 1,200 traffic deaths in 2015. The record low was 2014, when there were 1,195 traffic deaths.
PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards attributed the steady level of traffic deaths to infrastructure improvements as well as increased education and traffic enforcement.
The agency said the most significant decreases in traffic deaths occurred in three areas: crashes involving drivers 65 and older (279, down from 300 in 2014), crashes at intersections (251, down from 271) and crashes involving aggressive drivers (119, down from 134).
The state saw increases in fatalities where a single vehicle ran off the road (580, up from 534) and where a vehicle hit a fixed object (459, up from 425).
Over the past five years, PennDOT said it has invested about $50 million in low-cost safety improvements such as rumble strips, signs, and pavement markings at nearly 4,800 locations. It also spends about $20 million in state and federal funds annually for safety education and enforcement efforts.
According to PennDOT, there are close to 12 million vehicles registered statewide, 8.2 million of which are passenger cars.
Last year, PennDOT began offering the Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool that provides information on traffic accidents across the state. It can be viewed at dotcrashinfo.pa.gov.
Ed Blazina: eblazina@post-gazette.com or 412-263-470.
First Published: April 6, 2016, 7:03 p.m.