Virginia law enforcement agencies must now submit ALL Checkpoint Strikeforce (CPSF) through TREDS. DMV can no longer accept reports in the old way of emailing them to Butch Letteer.
RICHMOND – Preliminary numbers indicate that fourteen individuals died in eleven crashes during the 2011 Labor Day holiday. This is a slight increase from the previous two years in which the Commonwealth experienced thirteen deaths. The four-day statistical counting period began at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Sept. 2, 2011, and ended at midnight, Monday, Sept. 5, 2011.
As part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's regional campaign, the Governor announced that drunk drivers on Virginia roadways will face the likelihood of arrest because state and local law enforcement officials are increasingly conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols effective now through the end of the calendar year.
Since the inception of Virginia's Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign in 2002, alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the state have decreased by over 23-percent while alcohol-related traffic injuries in the Commonwealth have decreased by over 32-percent. In 2010, fewer individuals (274) were killed on Virginia highways due to alcohol than in any year since at least 1997 (302). The Governor credited this progress to the combination of effective public education and targeted enforcement. Read more...
RICHMOND – With Virginia experiencing severely high temperatures through the weekend, Virginians are advised to prepare themselves and their vehicles accordingly. Even though Virginia State Police Troopers and Motorist Assistance Aides are on heightened alert for disabled motorists along the highways during the extreme heat, there are still things motorists can do to make their trip safer and free of problems:
Virginia traffic deaths over the 2011 Fourth of July holiday weekend more than doubled compared to the same holiday weekend in 2010. In 2010, Virginia lost a total of six people during the four-day statistical counting period for the July 4th weekend. This year, preliminary reports indicate 13 people lost their lives in traffic crashes statewide during the four-day statistical counting period. (Historical holiday fatality totals: http://www.dmv.virginia.gov/webdoc/safety/crash_data/crash_facts/index.asp)
RICHMOND – Those traveling Virginia’s highways this Fourth of July holiday weekend can expect to see more State Police troopers on the highways. As part of the annual Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort, known as Operation C.A.R.E., the Virginia State Police will have 75 percent of its uniformed workforce on patrol Friday, July 1, through Monday, July 4, 2011.
RICHMOND — Senate Transportation Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Miller and House Transportation Committee Chairman Joe May presented awards to the winners of the 2011 Governor's Transportation Safety Awards during a ceremony at the Capitol on Wednesday, June 8, 2011. The following individuals and organizations were honored for their outstanding contributions to transportation safety.
RICHMOND – Virginia is once again experiencing a statewide decline in traffic deaths this year. According to preliminary numbers, there have been 239 reported traffic fatalities on Virginia’s highways between January 1, 2011, and midnight Wednesday, May 25, 2011. Last year during this same period, there were 280 reported traffic deaths statewide.
RICHMOND – Operation Air, Land, and Speed returned to Interstates 95 and 81 yielding 5,814 summonses and arrests during the two-day enforcement initiative which took place Sunday, May 22, and Monday, May 23, 2011. Once again, there were no reported fatalities on either interstate during the course of the operation. The last time Operation Air, Land & Speed focused on Interstates 95 and 81 was in March where 3,552 violations were cited by Virginia State Police.
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - In an effort to save more lives on Virginia's roadways this spring, the Virginia Beach Police Department is partnering with State and other local law enforcement agencies to buckle down on all motorists not buckled up. Special seat belt checkpoints and other stepped-up law enforcement activities will be conducted during a heavy wave of enforcement, May 23 - June 5.
Virginia Law allows law enforcement to cite anyone driving a car in which an occupant under age 18 is not wearing a safety belt or is not properly secured in a child safety seat. The law also provides that drivers stopped for other violations can be cited if they are not properly restrained. This also applies to all front seat passengers
AAA released the results of its annual ‘Your Driving Costs’ study today revealing a 3.4 percent rise in the yearly costs to own and operate a sedan in the U.S. The average costs rose 1.9 cents per mile to 58.5 cents per mile, or $8,776 per year, based upon 15,000 miles of annual driving.
“Despite seeing reduced costs for maintenance and insurance this year, there is an overall increase in the costs to own and operate a vehicle in the U.S. this year,” said John Nielsen, AAA National Director of Auto Repair, Buying and Consumer Programs. “The 2011 rise in costs is due to relatively large increases in fuel, tire and depreciation costs as well as more moderate increases in other areas.” Read more
April 1, 2011 Traffic Fatalities Nationwide in 2010 Drop to Lowest Level in Recorded History U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that the number and rate of traffic fatalities in 2010 fell to the lowest levels since 1949, despite a significant increase in the number of miles Americans drove during the year.
"Last year's drop in traffic fatalities is welcome news and it proves that we can make a difference," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "Still, too many of our friends and neighbors are killed in preventable roadway tragedies every day. We will continue doing everything possible to make cars safer, increase seat belt use, put a stop to drunk driving and distracted driving and encourage drivers to put safety first." Read more
March 21, 2011 NHTSA Releases New Child Seat Guidelines
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has revised its child restraint guidelines to be categorized by age rather than by type of child seat in order to keep pace with the latest scientific and medical research and the development of new child restraint technologies.
Under the new guidelines, issued today, NHTSA is advising parents and caregivers to keep children in each restraint type, including rear-facing, forward-facing and booster seats, for as long as possible before moving them up to the next type of seat.
March 16, 2011 SoberRide offers free cab rides for St. Patrick's day WASHINGTON - For those of you planning to down a few green beers or other adult beverages on St. Patrick's Day, SoberRide will be up and running to provide free cab rides. Rides will be provided from 4 p.m. Thursday, March 17 to 4 a.m. Friday, March 18.
You need to call 800-200-8294 (TAXI) or text #8294 (TAXI) on your AT&T wireless phone to get a cab ride. Don't call the taxi company. You won't get the free ride. The ride is free, up to $30 in fares, for people who are 21 or older. Read more
Berryville Police to Gain Auxiliary Officers Berryville may soon have four additional uniformed police officers thanks to a plan being put forward by Berryville Police Chief Neil White.
Each new officer will need to participate at least 16 hours per month in order to stay active in the auxiliary program. White said that he plans to use the auxiliary officers in a number of different ways.
“They’ll be assigned to fill in for officers on vacation, help with events like parades or special enforcement efforts like ‘Click It or Ticket’” White said. “They can also help us avoid overtime costs.” Read more
Additional officers will be out on St. Patrick's Day and the patrols will continue through the weekend. Read more
March 1, 2011 The Ford inflatable seat belt: How it affects car seats and children
Ford is offering inflatable seat belts for the outboard-rear-seat passengers as a new safety equipment option on 2011 Explorers. The option will be available sometime between late April and late May, according to Ford. The technology does just as the name says—in a crash, a tubular airbag “unzips” from the seams of the seat belt across the occupant’s chest.
The inflatable seat belts have two advantages: First, they spread the crash force over a wider area of the body, potentially reducing the risk of injury to the chest. Second, deployment of the bag tightens the belt, reducing forward movement and reducing the potential for head injury.
Though we foresaw the potential advantages for all rear-seat passengers, as child passenger safety technicians and parents we had some serious concerns. Were the airbags hot, once deployed, like front airbags are? Are the belts thicker, and if so, how is that going to affect child-car-seat installation features such as belt lock-offs, which are already sometimes difficult to use? How does the deployment of the bags affect a child in a child seat installed with the belts? How would the deploying belt affect a sleeping or slouching child seated very close to it? Read more
In anticipation of the number of individuals celebrating St. Patrick’s Day next week, officers from the Virginia Beach Police Department’s Special Operations Traffic Division will be conducting numerous traffic safety checkpoints on March 17th. The purpose of these checkpoints is to identify traffic offenders and those who are driving while impaired. Those traveling through Virginia Beach may see message boards reminding them to celebrate responsibly. Officers will hold multiple saturation patrols and checkpoints throughout the weekend before and after St. Patrick’s Day. Read more
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office announces the start of a year long public safety initiative called Survive the Drive Campaign. This campaign aims to provide education, information and solutions to keep the roadways of Stafford County safe. The campaign is designed to reduce crashes in Stafford County and gain compliance in traffic laws through education and compliance. Read more
RICHMOND – Preliminary reports indicate 14 people died in 12 traffic crashes on Virginia’s highways during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday weekends. Ten people died in eight crashes during the 2010 Christmas holiday statistical counting period; and there are four reported fatal crashes during the 2010-2011 New Year’s holiday statistical counting period. In 2009, 11 people were killed in traffic crashes over a four-day Christmas holiday; five traffic fatalities occurred during the four-day 2009-2010 New Year’s holiday. Read more
RICHMOND- During the final month of 2010, Virginia State Police are urging Virginia’s drivers to make sure they hear the ringing of holiday bells instead of the jingling of handcuffs. The holidays are particularly deadly due to the high number of drunk drivers on the roads. Impaired driving leads to too many tragic consequences. In 2009, 316 people were killed and another 6,256 persons were injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes across Virginia.*
”With the spike in drunken driving arrests by troopers this past holiday weekend, there are still too many Virginians out there not getting the message to never drink and drive,” says Colonel W. Steven Flaherty. “During this holiday season, troopers will be patrolling for drunk drivers who ignore the law. Virginians must make the smart choice - put the keys down and ride with a sober driver.”
To remind motorists once again about making responsible choices while driving, the Virginia State Police are today launching a new video on YouTube and its Website. The public safety message reminds drivers to avoid drunk driving, to wear seatbelts and to “move over” for emergency workers on the side of the road. (http://www.vsp.state.va.us) Read more
RICHMOND – As traffic deaths substantially decreased over the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the number of drunken driving arrests by State Police increased by roughly 33 percent. From 12:01 a.m. Wednesday (Nov. 24) through midnight Sunday (Nov. 28), preliminary reports indicate nine people died in traffic crashes statewide. In 2009, 16 people lost their lives in traffic crashes during the five-day Thanksgiving weekend.
But the holiday still posed a serious safety threat with a significant increase in drunken driving arrests. Virginia Troopers took 175 drunken drivers off the highways statewide during the same five-day statistical counting period. Out of those arrests, 119 of them took place on a Virginia interstate. During the 2009 holiday weekend, State Police arrested 132 impaired drivers. Read more
November 22, 2010 2010 Thanksgiving Travel: More Holiday Traffic = More Reasons to Drive Safe & Sober RICHMOND – With traffic safety advocates anticipating a significant increase in the volume of highway traffic this Thanksgiving holiday (http://midatlantic.aaa.com/PGA/NewsReleases), Virginia State Police advises drivers to be even more careful and smarter in their travels. Last year, 16 people died in traffic crashes during the five-day statistical counting period for the Thanksgiving weekend. Traffic crashes claimed 12 lives in 2008 and 19 lives in 2007.
State police will have 75 percent of its uniformed workforce on patrol from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, through midnight Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010. Troopers will again be participating in Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.). The annual, nationwide, state-sponsored campaign is designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by impaired driving, speeding and a failure to buckle up. Read more
RICHMOND – It is easy, takes minimal effort, and is the most effective way to reduce injury or death in a crash. What is this hassle-free device? Your seatbelt and it can prevent you from being the next fatal statistic in Virginia. Unfortunately, as of Oct. 15, 2010, at least 246 men, women and children who failed to buckle up have died in traffic crashes in Virginia. Read more
RICHMOND –Joseph L. Cannon poured a Schlitz Malt Liquor into a clear plastic cup. A foamy head formed on the amber brew. Next, he poured blue-raspberry Four Loko and an orange Monster into separate cups. They fizzed slightly but didn't foam.
Looking at Four Loko and Monster, "you can't tell the difference," said Cannon, a special agent for the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Unless you drink it. Read more
RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will post 70 mph speed limits on 680 miles of interstates no later than December 31, 2010. While campaigning for governor, McDonnell proposed the speed limit increase to 70 mph in rural and less populated areas as a way to improve transportation in the Commonwealth. This change will result in 61 percent of Virginia's 1,119 miles of intestates being posted at 70 mph.
Speaking about the new postings, Governor McDonnell noted, "The increase in the speed limit from 65 to 70 mph in rural and less populated areas of the state will help Virginians arrive at their destinations quicker and safer and will speed the delivery of goods and services throughout the commonwealth. This is just one step forward in our efforts to significantly improve Virginia's transportation system." Read more
RICHMOND – In an effort to reduce traffic crashes, fatalities and injuries, Virginia State Police increased patrols along Interstates 81, 95 and 85 as part of the latest Operation Air, Land and Speed enforcement effort. The two-day traffic safety initiative began Saturday, Sept. 17, 2010 and ended Sunday, Sept. 18, 2010. As a result of the increase in troopers along all three targeted interstates, no fatal traffic crashes were reported during the special weekend safety project.
Troopers and supervisors stopped a total of 2,705 speeders, 618 reckless drivers and 19 drunk drivers. In addition, 125 adult seat belt violations were cited and 17 felony/drug arrests were made. The operation yielded 4,866 total summonses and arrests. Read more
RICHMOND – Motorists will notice an increase in troopers on the road this weekend as part of another stepped-up traffic enforcement project. Operation Air, Land and Speed resumes Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010, along the north-south Interstates of 81 and 95. The enhanced patrols are aimed at improving traffic safety on both stretches of highway by increasing the presence of state troopers in an effort to deter fatal crashes and reckless driving behavior. Read more
RICHMOND - Preliminary data indicates traffic deaths for 2010 have decreased slightly compared to fatalities for this same time period in 2009. As of August 31, there were 481 road deaths so far in 2010, compared to 490 for January 1 through August 31, 2009. Of the 481 deaths this year, most (159) occurred on primary highways and the least amount (62) occurred on interstates in Virginia.
There were 756 traffic fatalities in Virginia last year, the lowest number in one year since traffic deaths began being recorded in 1966. The number is nearly a 27 percent decrease in fatalities from the high of 1,026 road deaths in 2007. Read more
RICHMOND – Virginia’s highways proved to be considerably safer over the 2010 Labor Day weekend than in 2009. Last year over the holiday weekend 14 people lost their lives in traffic crashes in Virginia. From 12:01 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3, 2010, through midnight Monday, Sept. 6, 2010, preliminary reports indicate eight people died in six traffic crashes statewide. Troopers responded to a total of 378 traffic crashes; 141 fewer than the 2009 Labor Day holiday weekend.
There were also fewer drunk driving arrests on Virginia’s highways by state police during this past holiday weekend. In 2009, 164 impaired drivers were stopped and placed under arrest. In 2010, state police took 132 drunk drivers off the Commonwealth’s roads. Read more
RICHMOND – As Labor Day traffic on Virginia’s highways increases so will the presence of Virginia State Police troopers. Motorists traversing the Commonwealth this holiday weekend can expect to see 75-percent of the State Police’s uniformed workforce on patrol statewide. Last year, Virginia experienced a sharp rise in traffic deaths over the Labor Day weekend with 14 people losing their lives during the four-day holiday statistical counting period. Seven were killed in traffic crashes in 2008.
State police Thursday joined Governor Bob McDonnell, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) and local law enforcement to kick off Virginia’s annual Checkpoint Strikeforce campaign, which is a region-wide effort that combines stepped-up enforcement efforts and proactive public education to promote a multijurisdictional effort in the fight against drunk driving. Read more
During the 2010 General Assembly session, Delegate Glenn Oder introduced HB 1240, a bill to require taxicabs to bear roof signs and markings identifying them as taxicabs. The legislation was introduced at the request of the taxicab operators to distinguish their vehicles from medical transport vehicles that may be tagged with taxi license plates.
At Delegate Oder’s request, and with the support of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Taxicab Association and the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police is requesting that all Virginia law enforcement agencies suspend their enforcement of this statute until notice is received in 2011 that corrective changes have been made to the law. Read more
(Aug. 25, 2010) WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today kicked off the annual Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. campaign aimed at getting drunk drivers off the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also released new data today indicating that eight percent of all drivers, as many as 17 million people, have driven drunk at least once during the past year.
The law enforcement crackdown will run through Labor Day and involve thousands of police agencies from across the nation. Enforcement efforts are supported by $13 million in television and radio advertising from NHTSA.
“Drunk driving is deadly, it’s against the law, and unfortunately, it’s still a problem,” said Secretary LaHood. “With the help of law enforcement around the country, we are going to continue doing all that we can to stop drunk driving and the needless tragedies that result from this reckless behavior.”
NHTSA’s research revealed that about one in five Americans have driven within two hours of drinking alcohol in the past year. Four out of five Americans identified drunk driving as a “major threat” to their own and their family’s safety. Read more
RICHMOND – Were you driving along Interstate 64 or Intestate 66 this weekend? If so, then you probably noticed Operation Air, Land & Speed in effect. The weekend safety campaign has been part of the Virginia State Police traffic safety initiative since 2006. The enforcement effort began Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010 through Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010 with an increase in troopers and resulted in 4,016 traffic violations for both interstates.
Read more
RICHMOND – With hundreds of new and returning college students taking to Virginia’s highways this weekend, Virginia State Police will be increasing patrols along Interstate 64 and Interstate 66 to ensure traffic moves safely. The two-day initiative is part of state police’s continuing traffic-safety program called Operation Air, Land and Speed.
“This weekend was specifically selected for an enforcement operation because of the significant increase in traffic associated with students heading off to college in and out of state,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Hopefully parents will have one less thing to worry about knowing more state police will be patrolling Virginia’s interstates looking for dangerous and reckless drivers.”
On Saturday, Aug. 21, through Sunday night, Aug. 22, 2010, state police troopers, supervisors, motorcycle units and motor carrier teams will saturate the entire lengths of Interstate 64 and 66 as part of Operation Air, Land & Speed. State police operational duties on other interstates, primary and secondary roads will not be affected during the operation. Read more
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Drunk driving is not an accident—it’s an epidemic of blatant disregard for human life. Each year, nearly 12,000 people die on our roads due to drunk driving. That would be equal to about 30 jumbo jets crashing each year. In California alone, over 1,000 people died at the hands of drunk drivers in 2008.
No one should ever get that late-night phone call from the police telling you your loved one has died due to a drunk driver. This is why GHSA's member State Highway Safety Offices are joining forces with law enforcement officers across the country to take part in the national Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown this Labor Day holiday period.
From August 20 through September 6, police in every state will be out in full force conducting sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols to catch drunk drivers. This high visibility law enforcement is supported by $31 million in national and state advertisements. Read more
At the Virginia Law Enforcement Challenge Awards Luncheon on Monday, August 9 during the VACP Annual Conference, 2009-10 VACP President Chief Doug Scott, Arlington County Police, and the Virginia Highway Safety Committee announced the recipients of the top awards in the Challenge program.
The Lynchburg Police Department was presented with the 2009 Commonwealth Award for having the best overall traffic safety program in the Challenge, regardless of agency size or type. Their program showed the best use of policies, training, public information and education, incentives and recognition, and enforcement to address the issues of occupant protection, impaired driving and speeding.
Additionally, the Highway Safety Committee announced that Sgt. Peter Mainzer of the Albemarle County Police Department was selected as the 2009 Traffic Safety Officer of the Year for his work to address the problem of an increase in fatalities on a section of Route 29 in the county. He sought out partnerships to increase public awareness of the need to drive safely and arranged for stepped up enforcement, which reduced the numbe of fatalities to zero during the enforcement period.
To see the full list of 2009 Challenge Award recipients, click here.
RICHMOND – If you were speeding, driving recklessly or driving impaired on Interstate 81 or 95, then you were one of the thousands of motorists cited during the weekend as part of Virginia State Police’s Operation Air, Land & Speed traffic-safety enforcement effort. During the special initiative, there were no fatal traffic crashes reported on either interstate.
From July 17, 2010 through July 18, 2010, Virginia State Police stopped a total of 3,313 speeders, 628 reckless drivers and 12 drunk drivers between both interstates. A total of 248 safety belt violations were cited, and 15 drug and felony arrests were made by state troopers. The operation yielded 6,264 total summonses and arrests. Read more
RICHMOND – During the July 4 holiday, traffic fatalities declined once again across Virginia. Of the 743 traffic crashes that state police responded to during the four-day statistical counting period, preliminary reports indicate that five of the crashes resulted in five deaths. In 2009, nine people were killed over a three-day holiday weekend.* The last time the Commonwealth experienced a significant drop in fatal traffic collisions during the Independence holiday weekend was in 2002 when two individuals lost their lives in the Commonwealth.
The five fatal crashes occurred in the city of Suffolk and the counties of Accomack, Fairfax, Nottoway and Rockingham. Three of the crashes occurred on Monday, July 5, 2010. Read more
RICHMOND – Sadly, the Memorial Day weekend proved to be a deadly one on Virginia’s highways. During the four-day statistical counting period, which began at 12:01 a.m. Friday, May 28, 2010, ended at midnight Monday, May 31, 2010, preliminary reports indicate 10 men and women died in 10 traffic crashes across the Commonwealth. Last year, seven people died during the Memorial Day weekend. Read more
Spotsylvania mother honored for proper seat belt use in dangerous crash Erica Davison, 32, was driving to pick up a television for her Lake Anna home on the night of Dec. 4, 2009. It was early evening, shortly after 6. Davison was behind the wheel of her Ford Explorer Sport Trac, with her children--Tyler Davison, 10, and Macie Davison, 6--buckled up in the truck's back seat. Friend Jason Morgan, 34, was riding in the front passenger seat.
The drive on Stubbs Bridge Road was uneventful. Then, suddenly, another truck appeared in their lane, headed straight at them. There was no time to react, Morgan said. Read more
May 27, 2010 Click It Or Ticket Campaign In Albemarle Albemarle County Police are hitting the streets for their annual Click-It-or-Ticket campaign. Wednesday, police set up a checkpoint alongside Old Lynchburg Road. They stopped cars to check for drivers without licenses, unsafe vehicles and drivers not wearing seatbelts. Police say their main priority is reminding people to buckle up. Read more
RICHMOND – Those traveling this holiday weekend can expect to see more Virginia State Police on the roadways statewide as part of the annual Operation C.A.R.E. traffic enforcement campaign. The Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.) is a state-sponsored, national program designed to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries caused by speeding, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints. As a participating agency, State Police willincrease its visibility and traffic enforcement efforts throughout the Commonwealth beginning Friday morning, May 28, 2010, at 12:01 a.m. and continuing through midnight, Monday, May 31, 2010. Read more
New Market Police in Click It or Ticket Blitz
In 2009, Virginia had the highest recorded seat belt use rate in history at 82.27 percent. Even with that good news, 756 citizens lost their lives on Virginia roadways. Of those, 333 individuals were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
That’s why the New Market Police Department, in partnership with agencies along routes 7 and 11 in Virginia, will come together Friday and beyond for the Click It or Ticket Blitz to enforce traffic laws in advance of the heavily traveled Memorial Day weekend. Read more
AAA recommends that any child up to age 8 or 4 feet 9 inches tall should be secured in a child safety seat or booster seat. However, only about one in four (26%) survey respondents could identify proper child safety seat age and height recommendations. Additionally, less than half of parents surveyed (44%) knew the safest position for a single car seat was the center of the rear seat. Read more
Today, a House Committee gave further consideration to the Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 2010, legislation responding to crashes associated with recently-reported vehicle failures.
AAA calls for at least 10 percent of all transportation investment to be spent on safety (currently we devote less than 4% to safety) to fund better data collection systems, road improvements and use of evidence-based strategies to change the culture of complacency about transportation safety. We need to ensure that legislation and regulation result in funding for the countermeasures that have the greatest impact on saving lives, and reducing crashes. Read more
RICHMOND – A two-day traffic safety program by Virginia State Police troopers resulted in thousands of speeders and reckless drivers receiving citations as part of the Department’s Operation Air, Land and Speed initiative. The enforcement effort began Sunday, May 23, and concluded Monday, May 24, 2010. Troopers patrolled the north-south corridors of both interstates and there were no fatal traffic crashes reported on either interstate during the entire operation.
Virginia State Police cited 6,081 summonses and arrests between both I-81 and I-95 during the May enforcement blitz. Troopers stopped a total of 3,263 speeders, 557 reckless drivers and 16 drunk drivers. The operation yielded 21 drug and felony arrests and there were 252 safety belt violations. Read more
Police: Fake Inspection Stickers Illegal, Dangerous on Roads
Officers within the Albemarle County Police Department are beginning to crack down on drivers with fake car inspection stickers. Officials say the stickers are not only illegal to create or use, but dangerous because those who need them may have a car in poor condition. Read more
The current law requires passengers under age 16 to be belted in the back seat. Drivers will be responsible for making sure all passengers under age 18 are secured in a safety restraint or car seat.
Passengers 18 and older are responsible for themselves and face the $25 fine for riding unrestrained. Current law already requires everyone in the front seat to wear a seat belt. Read more
Safety Campaigns Underway on Virginia's Roads
Before putting the car into drive, more people are buckling up, according to a new report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation. However, according to the same report, 1.4 million Virginians still do not.
Campaigns are underway to change that and to improve overall driver safety on Virginia roads. The annual "Click It or Ticket" initiative is going on, with law enforcement agencies across the country taking part.
'Click It or Ticket' begins in the Roanoke Valley
State Police will also be giving you a reminder, in the form of a ticket if you do not wear your seatbelt as part of the Click It or Ticket campaign. Drivers we talked to aren't surprised so many Americans still refuse to buckle up. Read more
May 24, 2010 U.S. DOT Targets 45 Million Americans Still Not Buckling Up
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood today announced that while seat belt use is at a record high 84 percent nationwide, 45 million Americans are still not buckling up when riding in motor vehicles. In an effort to increase belt use and save lives, the Secretary today kicked off Click It or Ticket, a national enforcement mobilization that encourages all motorists to wear their seat belts – day and night. Drivers caught not wearing their seat belt run the risk of being ticketed.
On any given day about 38 people who are not buckled-up are killed in motor vehicle crashes, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2008 alone, nearly 14,000 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants lost their lives on U.S. roadways. Nearly half of them could have been saved if they had been belted. Click here to view map.
Purcellville Police To Push Seatbelt Enforcement
The Purcellville Police Department is joining a May 24-June 6 campaign by law enforcement officers, highway safety officials and safety advocates nationwide to address the issue of seatbelt enforcement.
May 23, 2010 Interstates 95 & 81 Focus of VSP's Upcoming Operation Air, Land & Speed Enforcement
Increased Uniform Patrols Coincide with Click It or Ticket Campaign
RICHMOND - Troopers will increase patrols along two Virginia interstates as part of the Virginia State Police safety program known as Operation Air, Land and Speed. Interstates 95 and 81 are the focus of this May enforcement blitz which begins Sunday, May 23, and continues through Monday, May 24, 2010. Troopers will conduct roaming patrols and radar along the entire north-south corridors of both interstates during the two-day traffic safety initiative.
April 28, 2010 Focus on road, not gadgets, drivers urged
Chowing down on a burger, reading something on an iPhone, fiddling with compact discs, picking up a rolling soda bottle, comforting a wailing child: they’re all fine things to do, just not while driving. That was the point police and safety experts made Wednesday with a plea for motorists to concentrate on driving.
“We are too smart to be killing ourselves and others by doing what we know is wrong,” said Martha Meade of AAA Mid-Atlantic during a news conference held to mark Virginia’s Distracted Driving Awareness Day (April is also the first-ever National Distracted Driving Awareness Month).
More than 80 percent of those queried in a AAA poll this spring want stricter penalties for distracted driving and more education on the issue, but 44 percent of the group also admits to engaging in the same behaviors. Read more
EXMORE -- Steve Elliott respected pets and animals, and on Wednesday night, he was driving toward Pungoteague on Big Pine Road with two dogs to take care of some horses.
As he neared his destination, the front right tire blew out on the 1985 Ford pickup he was driving, State Police said. The vehicle ran off the road to the left, overturned and ejected Elliott, killing him. Elliott's death shocked the town, which on June 10 lost longtime former mayor Guy Lawson, who also was fatally injured in a car crash. Read more
April 16, 2010 Focusing on Motorcycle Safety and Traffic Law Enforcement
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Virginia Highway Safety Office announced Friday that select law enforcement agencies across Virginia will focus on the safety of motorcycle riders through strict enforcement of all traffic laws. Read more
April 15, 2010 Exmore, Va. police chief dies in single-vehicle crash
Police Chief Stephen Trader Elliott, 64, was driving on Route 609, a mile south of Route 178 in Accomack County, shortly before 7 p.m. when the front left tire of his 1985 Ford truck blew out, said Sgt. Michelle Cotten, a Virginia State Police spokeswoman. His truck ran off the road to the left, overturned in a field and ejected him.
Elliott was not wearing a seatbelt and alcohol was not a factor in the crash, Cotten said. Read more
April 14, 2010 Operation Air, Land & Speed Yields 2,285 Violations on Interstates 295, 85 & 77 RICHMOND – Dangerous motorists traveling Interstates 295, 85 and 77 Monday and Tuesday kept Virginia State Police busy. State police conducted its Operation Air, Land & Speed traffic safety campaign April 12 and April 13, 2010, on the designated interstate corridors in an effort to reduce traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities.
Troopers and supervisors stopped a total of 1,025 speeders, 347 reckless drivers and four drunk drivers during the two-day safety effort on I-295, I-85 and I-77. In addition, 100 adult and child seat belt violations were cited and 12 felony/drug arrests were made. There were zero traffic fatalities on the designated interstates during the enforcement period. Read more
April 12, 2010 Virginia State Police Return to Interstates 295, 85 & 77 for Operation Air, Land & Speed RICHMOND – As spring returns to the Commonwealth, so are the Virginia State Police to Interstate 77 outside of Wytheville, Interstate 295 in Metro-Richmond, and Interstate 85 south of the Tri-Cities as part of the continuing Operation Air, Land & Speed traffic safety effort. The two-day operation begins Monday, April 12, 2010, and concludes Tuesday night, April 13, 2010.
By targeting aggressive drivers, speeders and impaired drivers, Virginia State Police hope to further reduce the chances of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities from occurring on the three selected interstate corridors. Read more
FAIRFAX CO. – As the Virginia State Police Fairfax Division saturated the interstates of Northern Virginia Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning, it appears a majority of St. Patrick’s Day revelers chose not to drive drunk. During the special enforcement effort a total of six drunken driving arrests were made. Read more
March 16, 2010 Don't Depend on Dumb Luck
AAA Mid-Atlantic and the Virginia State Police Urge Motorists to Drive Responsibly This St. Patrick's Day
RICHMOND, VA – As there will be many celebrations throughout the Commonwealth this week, AAA Mid-Atlantic and the Virginia State Police are joining together to urge the public to help keep the streets safe this St. Patrick’s Day by drinking responsibly and designating a sober driver before heading to the local pub or a party. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on St. Patrick’s Day 2008, nationwide 37 percent of traffic fatalities during the holiday involved a drunk driver. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, in 2008 there were 45 alcohol-related crashes on Virginia roadways during the holiday.
In one case, it saved a dog's life and earned the pooch and her owner the Va. Highway Safety Office's Saved by the Belt award.
Isabella, a three-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, and owner Marie Bentley survived a serious car accident in Portsmouth last April.
Police credit the seat belts, and in Isabella's case a canine belt, and airbags for saving their lives.
"Secure our pets. They are like our family, but moreover, secure any passenger that is in the vehicle, whether it's a two-legged or four-legged kind," said Maryann Rayment with the Va. Highway Safety Office.
Bentley says she's used a canine belt since Isabella was six months old.
Jean Marie W. Bentley was driving April 28 in Portsmouth when her vehicle was hit in the front, causing the air bags to deploy. Her dog, Isabelle, was secured by a canine seat belt, which saved Isabelle from injuries and kept her contained while emergency responders attended to Bentley, according to a summary from Detective John Doyle, a police spokesman.
Bentley suffered a broken right arm, Doyle said.
The Virginia Highway Safety Office will award Bentley and Isabelle with the Saved By the Belt award at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
RICHMOND – Thousands of speeders and hundreds of reckless drivers and seat-belt violators were cited during the weekend as part of Virginia State Police’s Operation Air, Land & Speed traffic-safety enforcement effort on Interstates 81 and 95. During the two-day initiative, there were no fatal traffic crashes reported on either interstate. Read more
March 3, 2010 Gretna students receive lesson in driving safety
On Feb. 18, a figure dressed in black from head to toe walked the halls of Gretna High School. Carrying a scythe, Amber Moser, who portrayed the grim reaper, "claimed" 25 of the 650 students at Gretna.
The Grim Reaper Day was sponsored by the school's Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety (YOVASO) organization in an effort to promote car safety. Read more
Dozens of officers across the country have died in crashes while not wearing seat belts in recent years — at least 64 between 2004 and 2008 alone, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data analyzed for the Houston Chronicle. About 40 percent of officers killed in wrecks during that time period weren't buckled up, the analysis showed.
“The average police officer thinks most cops get killed by felons, and that's not true. Cops are getting killed in traffic accidents,” said Richard Ashton, who studies traffic safety for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. “Officers don't think it can happen to them.” Read more
"Lots of real estate listings," commented Stephanie Slater, the BBPD's public information officer and chief media spokesperson, sitting in front of the monitor. "A few people are just tweeting news headlines about what's going on in town. Nothing really."
Slater, a former cop-beat reporter for the local Palm Beach Post, was keeping tabs on a Twitter search query for Boynton Beach to see what users of the chatty service are saying about the city of 65,000. She's also in charge of maintaining the police department's own Twitter account, its Facebook fan page, and its library of YouTube videos. As law enforcement's role in the social-media universe has increasingly become a topic of discussion and debate, the BBPD has become one of the first police departments in the country to step forward and say that they think they've figured it out. Read more
January 31, 2010 U.S. 29 South claims far too many lives
Last year seven people died in five wrecks on the 29-mile stretch of pavement between Interstate 64 and Nelson County. They ran off the road in rain and snow. They ran off the road in the bright of day. They slammed into each other at intersections.
“It’s strange to have so many fatal accidents on that side of U.S. 29,” said Sgt. Pete Mainzer, head of the Albemarle County Police Department’s traffic division. “It’s out of the ordinary for that to happen.” Read more
January 28, 2010 Incoming Winter Storm Requires Need for Drivers to Make Safe & Responsible Decisions
RICHMOND – With several inches of snow predicted for much of the Commonwealth this weekend, the Virginia State Police want to remind Virginians to make safe and responsible choice when making travel plans. Drivers are encouraged to check road conditions before heading out, especially as interstates and highways can quickly turn hazardous with the quick accumulation of snow. Read more
January 24, 2010 More teens are choosing to wait to get driver's licenses
The quest to get a driver's license at 16 -- long an American rite of passage -- is on the wane among the digital generation, which no longer sees the family car as the end-all of social life.
The holdouts include Kat Velkoff, who turned 17 in Chantilly without a license. Focused on tough classes, the debate team, dance and color guard, she turned 18 without taking the wheel. Then 19.
"It just wasn't a priority," said Velkoff, who got her license last year at 20. "It was just never the next thing that needed to get done in my life." Read more
January 8, 2010 Ramping up advocacy for safe-driving club
Morgan Dillon has taken a role in program development with Youth of Virginia Speak Out.
Dillon, now 21, recently graduated from Ferrum College with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Sticking to her original commitment, Dillon began her new career this week as the program development coordinator for YOVASO. Read more
January 5, 2010 Virginia Traffic Fatalities Drop Again in Virginia for 2009
Three killed in traffic crashes over New Year's Holiday RICHMOND – Once again, Virginia experienced a decline in traffic fatalities ending the year with a reported 750 deaths across the Commonwealth. The fatality count includes the deaths of 70 pedestrians. The 2009 preliminary number is significantly lower than in 2008 in which 821 individuals lost their lives due to traffic crashes. Read more
States Working Hard to Deter Drunk Drivers
