With the economy recovering, and more people returning to work, that also means more drivers on the road. And fatal accidents in California are on the rise, after a dramatic decline. Traffic deaths dropped from more than 43-hundred in 2006 to over 27-hundred in 2010. But since then, fatalities have been going up each year, with over 31-hundred killed in 2013, and even higher numbers are expected in 2014. A number of state agencies have identified several trends. Grass Valley CHP officer Greg Tassone says that includes more widespread use of smartphones while driving…

click to listen to Greg Tassone

Tassone says more pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcyclist deaths appear to be a major reason for the uptick…

click to listen to Greg Tassone

The Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, and other agencies say there’s been an increase in popularity of motorcycles since the recession ended, especially among older riders. Drugged driving…including older drivers under the influence of prescription medications, and more marijuana use…is also up.