I finally downloaded all of the stats from 1950-2003 like I said I would. Here they are.
The rate is per 100,000 population and the numbers of dead are only for selected years 50, 55, 60, 70, 80, 90, 2000, 2003.
YEAR RATE NUMBER
1950 23.1 33,863
1955 23.4 37,437
1960 21.3 37,142
1961 20.8
1962 22.0
1963 23.1
1964 24.0
1965 24.8
1966 26.5
1967 26.2
1968 27.5
1969 27.6
1970 26.9 53,493
1971 26.3
1972 27.2
1973 26.5
1974 22.0
1975 21.5
1976 21.9
1977 22.9
1978 24.0
1979 23.7
1980 22.9 51,930
1981 21.9
1982 19.3
1983 18.6
1984 19.1
1985 18.8
1986 19.4
1987 19.8
1988 20.4
1989 18.9
1990 18.8 47,900
1991 17.9
1992 16.4
1993 16.3
1994 16.2
1995 16.5
1996 16.5
1997 15.8
1998 15.5
1999 15.5
2000 15.4 43,354
2001 15.4
2002 15.7
2003 15.2 44,059
It would seem that with all of the safety devices and mandates that the rate over a 53 year period would have moved more than 7.9. The death numbers are also higher than they were priotr to all of these mandates.