2015 'deadliest driving year in half century'

Last year, 2015, went down as the deadliest driving year in a half century.

The number of traffic deaths in the United States rose 8 percent from 2014 to 2015- that's the largest year-to-year percentage increase since 2008.

According to preliminary estimates by the National Safety Council, about 38,000 people were killed on U.S. roads, and 4.4 million were seriously hurt.

The states with the largest increase were Oregon, Georgia and Florida. The Sunshine State saw an 18 percent jump last year.

We’ve had our fair share of accidents in the Bay area. In the last couple of days, there have been several fatal crashes including, the death of a tow truck driver on the Howard Frankland Bridge.

According to police, 36-year-old Allison Huffman hit Roger Perez-Burotto and then left the scene. She was eventually arrested.

A couple of days before that crash there was a wrong-way accident that killed two people on I-275.  Eugene Fischer, 65, was on his way to work when, troopers say, Larry Thompson was going the wrong way and slammed into him.

The council said a stronger economy, lower unemployment rates and lower gas prices were probably key factors in the hike. With driving becoming more affordable, more people are on the road.