In reality, accident figures are lower in the year end Jul 2008, compared to the previous year end.
You can't really determine specifically "Continental US" as the jurisdiction will cover US Regulated Airspace, so you would have to account for *all* figures under that authority.
Why would the FAA change the duty / flight time limits and rest periods?
Are they not appropriate under Parts 91/121 or 125?
If crews are going to face commercial pressure to extend duty periods, that doesn't require a change in the regs, but an enforcement of the regs.
If the duty periods were reduced that would lead to a further increase of commercial pressure to extend duty periods. Or operations have to employ additional crew adding to increased operating costs and increasing financial constraints.
... or are you supposing that crew duty periods be increased rather than decreased?