(Bloomberg) -- U.S. traffic fatalities over theIndependence Day weekend will probably climb this year to the mostsince 2008 as an improved economy and lower gas prices encouragemore people to get behind the wheel, a safety group said.

There will be 466 deaths from Friday evening through Monday,according to a projection from the National Safety Council. That’s an average ofabout 143 per 24 hours, compared with 107 in 2014 and an estimated126 last year.

Auto accidents have been climbing

Car accidents have been climbing recently, reversing a years-longtrend that had been credited to improved technology in cars andincreased awareness of the risks of drunk driving. Another reasonfor the decline was that the economic slump that started in 2008discouraged many people from traveling.

“The recession actually masked an ongoing safety issue in theUnited States,” Ken Kolosh, the manager of statistics at NSC, saidin an interview. “Motor vehicle safety continues to be a majorissue that faces all of us.”

Total miles driven in the U.S. has increased year-over-year for26 straight months, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. The U.S.unemployment rate fell to 4.7% in May, down from 6.7% in February2014, the last month when driving declined.

On average, July 4 was the deadliest day on the road from 2010through 2014, followed by Jan. 1, according to the Insurance Institute forHighway Safety. In Florida, Independence Day fatalitiesincreased last year to 15 from 3, according to Sgt. Kim Montes, aspokeswoman for the state’s highway patrol.

Alcohol consumption

“We know that this will be a weekend where alcohol is consumed,”she said in an email. “With so many options out there foralternative transportation, there is zero excuses for anyone whogets behind the wheel impaired.”

The National Safety Council is a non-profit organization focusedon reducing risks in the workplace, on the roads and in homes.

Copyright 2018 Bloomberg. All rightsreserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten,or redistributed.