DES MOINES, IOWA (AP) -- Traffic fatalities in Iowa rose slightly last year, compared with 2009, but the figure was far below the record of 912 set in 1970.
The Iowa Transportation Department put 2010's number at 391, based on preliminary data. The 2009 figure was 371.
State officials told The Des Moines Register that the troubled economy, high gas prices and better highway safety combined to keep the total below 400 for only the third time since World War II.
Also, Iowa State Patrol chief Patrick Hoye says troopers are focused on cutting violations that lead to fatalities, including drunken driving and speeding.
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