New federal data suggests that all but 10 states are showing improvement when it comes to drunken driving deaths.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Monday that 40 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico improved their impaired driving fatality statistics from 2007 to 2008. The announcement came as part of the launch of a national crackdown on drunken driving through the New Year's holiday that involves thousands of law enforcement agencies.

In the remaining 10 states, the statistics either stayed the same or increased. Delaware, Florida and Pennsylvania showed no increase in the alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) while the rates increased in Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Wyoming.

Impaired-driving laws have been enacted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia that make it illegal for a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 or above to drive a vehicle. The nationwide alcohol-impaired-driving fatality rate declined from 0.43 fatalities per 100 million VMT in 2007 to 0.40 in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's report.

Montana again had the highest alcohol-impaired fatality rate in the nation in 2008 with 0.84 fatalities per 100 million VMT. The state also led the nation in 2007 with a rate of 0.93.

Vermont was the state with the lowest rate in the nation in 2008, at 0.16 per 100 million VMT. In 2007, Utah had the lowest rate at 0.21.

The NHTSA's "Over the Limit. Under Arrest" crackdown will begin Dec. 16 and run through Jan. 3. Law enforcement agencies in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico will be conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.

According to the NHTSA, 58 percent of drivers and motorcycle riders who were killed in 2008 crashes that took place at night or over the weekend involved a drunken driver. That's a statistic the NHTSA wants holiday party-goers to especially be aware of.

The campaign also features $7 million in paid national advertising designed to cut down on drunken driving.