Traffic fatalities for last year fell by nearly 9 percent, reaching their lowest level since 1954, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported Thursday.

The fatality rate of 1.16 deaths per 100 million miles traveled was the lowest on record, the department said.

"This is exciting news, but there are still far too many people dying in traffic accidents," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Drivers need to keep their hands on the steering wheel and their focus on the road in order to stay safe."

Projections placed the number of highway deaths last year at 33,963, compared with 37,261 the year before. Fatalities have declined for 15 consecutive quarters.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cited multiple factors in the decline - safer roads and vehicles, a decline in miles traveled and campaigns to encourage seat belt use and crack down on drunken and distracted driving.

Pennsylvania reported last month that the number of road fatalities last year fell by 14 percent and was the lowest total since record-keeping began in 1928.

Washington correspondent Daniel Malloy writes the "Pittsburgh On The Potomac" blog exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.