(Photo By Flickr User davebloggs007)

The month of December is “National Impaired Driving Prevention Month.”

The nation saw a slight decline in traffic deaths during 2014. However, an increase in estimated fatalities during the first six months of this year reveals a need to reinvigorate the fight against deadly behavior on America’s roads.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and cinewsnow.com, over 32,675 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2014, and 9,967 of those deaths were due to drunk driving.

Additional 2014 crash data show:

-Nearly half (49%) of passenger vehicle occupants killed were not wearing seat belts.

-The number of motorcyclists killed was far higher in states without strong helmet laws, resulting in 1,565 lives lost in 2014.

-Cyclist deaths declined by 2.3 percent, but pedestrian deaths rose by 3.1 percent from the previous year. In 2014, there were 726 cyclists and 4,884 pedestrians killed in motor vehicle crashes.

-Distracted driving accounted for 10 percent of all crash fatalities, killing 3,179 people in 2014.

-Drowsy driving accounted for 2.6 percent of all crash fatalities; at least 846 people died in these crashes in 2014.

On a lighter note, for the first time since 2010, driving under the influence of alcohol has decreased among high school students statewide.