Some good news out of Washington this past week was that the emphasis on seat belt use and drunken driving appears to be having a positive impact. According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, the number of deaths in 2003 per 100 million miles traveled fell to 1.48, the first time since record-keeping began in 1966 that the rate was below 1.5. In 2003, fatalities in the United States were down 362 from 2002, and in Ohio, fatalities were down 10 percent, which is among the highest percentage decreases in the United States. Mineta attributed the decline to efforts by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to encourage seat belt use and discourage driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. We're not sure about the NHTSA's efforts, but we do know, locally, law enforcement authorities have taken steps to combat drunken driving as well as emphasizing the use of seat belts. State, county, city and village law enforcement personnel have cooperated over the past few years with efforts not only to crack down on drunken driving but to provide educational opportunities that will help prevent drunken drivers from getting behind the wheel. Across the region, many law enforcement agencies have taken a zero tolerance attitude toward seat belt use. Those efforts have combined with the "Click it or ticket" campaign to raise the awareness of seat belt use. Nationally, the percentage of those using seat belts increased from 75 percent in 2002 to 79 percent in 2003. Realistically, it's hard to tie the latest figures to the campaigns against impaired driving and for seat belt use. Nevertheless, we don't think it's a coincidence that these campaigns are followed by good results.