There are five times as many drivers on U.S. roadways today as there were 60 years ago. But the latest traffic statistics show there were fewers traffic deaths last year than there have been since 1950, and Bay County is following the same trend.

Bubba White started driving a wrecker 14 years ago, and he's noticed a change over the years.

"People didn't wear safety belts. Vehicles were made a lot tougher where you could ram somebody and it wouldn't hurt your vehicle, no telling what it does to them. A lot of accidents back in the old time where vehicles weren't even torn up so bad and it killed the driver," White said.

Since 2005, fatal accidents in Florida have dropped nearly 30%; 15% in Bay County. Some say its because car-makers are including more safety features.

Toyota's John Davidson says, "We now have vehicle skid control, electronic brake distribution, brake force inhibitor, anti-lock brake, all those things. Another area we are proud of are the number of airbags in our vehicles."

Toyota even designs its cars to take the energy created from a collision and disperse it around the passengers. Along with extra safety features is extra law enforcement. There are more officers on the road and more stringent laws.

Sgt. Jason Britt said some contributors are "The click it or ticket campaigns, the over the limit under arrest campaigns with our DUI enforcement, plus the state legislature tightened the seatbelt law for the state of Florida."

As proof, the number of alcohol-related traffic deaths in Florida dropped 15% between 2008 and 2009. 2009 was the fourth straight year traffic deaths have decreased in Florida.