County fatality rate much too high

By Staff
Staff Editorial
Gov. Bob Riley announced this week that fewer people were killed on Alabama roadways in 2008 than in any year since 1985.
Alabama recorded 618 deaths in crashes worked by state troopers last year.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Safety, 14 deaths from crashes in Franklin County were recorded in 2008, compared to only six in 2007. Ten of those fatalities occurred in rural areas, while the other four were reported as urban crashes.
The number of fatalities is startling, especially compared to years past.
The increase can be probably be attributed to a number of things, but hopefully it is just a rare occurrence that we won't see in the future.
Hopefully, Franklin County will catch up with the rest of the state this year and have a much safer year on the road.