Pa. highway deaths drop to lowest level on record

Pennsylvania transportation officials say the number of highway deaths in the state dropped to 1,208 last year.

PennDOT said Tuesday that represents the lowest figure since highway fatality records began to be collected in 1928.

Officials say there were declines over the previous year in the number of people who died not wearing seatbelts, the number of speed-related fatalities and the number of single-vehicle crashes in which the operator drove off the roadway.

Highway deaths in which a driver had been drinking fell from 377 in 2012 to 342 in 2013.

Deaths involving drivers over age 75, distracted drivers and head-on or opposite direction side swipe crashes all experienced increases last year.

PennDOT says it has spent $50 million in the past five years on safety improvements.