Deaths from large truck crashes drop to the lowest level since 1950.

The U.S. DOT released 2009 fatality and injury data. Highway deaths fell to 33,808, the lowest number since 1950. Estimated vehicle miles traveled in 2009 increased by 0.2 percent over 2008 levels.

Last year’s fatality and injury rates were the lowest ever recorded: 1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, compared to 1.26 deaths for 2008.

Fatalities of large truck occupants dropped from 682 in 2008 to 503 in 2009, a 26 percent decline. The total number of fatalities involving large trucks decreased 20 percent from 4,542 in 2008 to 3,380 last year. The number of injuries in large truck crashes also fell 26 percent from 23,000 in 2008 to 17,000 in 2009.