Amazingly, 4,886 people were killed on UK roads in 1926 when the volume of traffic must have been miniscule compared with today.I can't find 2010 USA numbers but 2009 was 33,800. If UK is 65 million, 2,200 is .003%. USA at 300 million is .011%. Pete
The highest was 9,169 in 1941 but that was partly due to blackout restrictions on lighting during the second world war.
Actually I think that much of the reduction is down to the fact that modern cars are so much safer with all these collision zones and airbags.
Of course, when I was younger I didn't care much about these things but now I'm in my late forties with several dependents, it's probably better that I stay alive!