1,000 Killed On Tennessee Roadways In 2012 - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With only days left in 2012, the number of fatalities on Tennessee roadways has reached a grim milestone.

On Thursday, Tennessee Department of Transportation SmartWay boards showed that 1,000 people had died in crashes in the state so far this year. Last year, that number only reached 937, which was the lowest number of roadway fatalities in Tennessee since the 1960s.

In 2011, 372 people who died were not wearing their seatbelts. That number jumped to 407 in 2012 where the drivers weren't wearing their seatbelts.

Officials credited crack downs on drunk driving, increased seat belt use, and educational programs in schools for the low number of deaths last year.