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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reports that in 2010, the number of transportation fatalities was down. Despite that decline, there was a rise in several categories.

The total number of transportation deaths decreased to 34,925 in 2010 from 35,994 in 2009.

Also, the total number of deaths on U.S. roads dropped by about 1,000, from 33,883 to 32,885.

“We continue to see far too many deaths each year,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman.

Areas in which there were more fatalities in 2010 include:

• motorcycle-related deaths (4,469 in 2009 to 4,502 in 2010)
• medium and heavy trucks (499 to 529)
• buses (26 to 44)
• rail, with the majority at grade crossings, (742 to 813), and
• pipelines, including the deadly natural gas incident in San Bruno, CA, that killed eight people (13 to 22).

The annual tabulation of transportation deaths comes just after the NTSB called for a total ban on using cell phones, hand-held and hands-free, and most other portable electronic devices by drivers.

Tags: cell phones, deaths on roads, NTSB, transportation fatalities