The real reason traffic deaths are down

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations announced last month traffic fatalities are at their lowest levels in 60 years.

Officials cited a number of factors, increased seat belt use, safer cars and a decline in drunken driving.

But the real reason traffic deaths are down is this: Traffic jams ... we're not going fast enough anymore to harm ourselves.

Every where I traveled this summer I sat in traffic.

On the New Jersey Turnpike. On the Washington, D.C., Beltway. On Interstate 95 in Connecticut. On Interstate 495 in Massachusetts. On Route 4 in front of my house here in New Hampshire.

Age has given me some patience. I've learned to accept things that are beyond my control. Except in traffic. I want to know why things aren't moving along, particularly on the eight-lane New Jersey Turnpike in the middle of a fine afternoon.

Accidents, I can understand. Construction, I get it. Part of it was the federal stimulus money that went to the repair of roads and bridges. My tax dollars were at work pissing me off, and I accept that. But it's no wonder the Republicans were so ticked off about the stimulus; they just don't accept traffic jams no matter what the circumstances.

When there's no reason for a slowdown, I start to go out of my mind.

I think this is how road rage starts to boil. When circumstances rise beyond the level of comprehension and acceptance.

I see it regularly where I live, as traffic slows to a crawl going over the Little Bay Bridge during the morning and evening commutes.

The reason it slows is because of the sunrise in the morning and sunset in the evening.

I don't know why, but people hit the top of the bridge, see the rising sun, hit their brakes and remark, "My God, a rising sun." It's like they're seeing the sun rise for the first time every morning.

Coming home it's the same thing. They hit the top of the bridge and see a setting sun and slow down.

It's the only possible explanation because nothing else is happening at the time. No weather. No construction. No accidents. Just Mr. Sun.

I'm glad traffic deaths are down. And I'll continue to do my part and buckle up, seek to buy safer cars, and make sure I don't drive drunk.

But I can't abide by the traffic jams.

I want to go 80 again … or at least the speed limit.