RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia State Police confirms there has been one weather-related traffic fatality Friday afternoon in Chesapeake. No additional information has been released at this time.
State Police responded to 2,850 calls for service on Virginia highways Friday. There have been 841 accidents reported and 607 calls for disabled vehicles. Most of the crashes were around Richmond and Hampton Roads, state police reported.
Northern Virginia is starting to pick up significantly in traffic crashes and disabled vehicle reports. From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., traffic crashes on NOVA highways increased from 19 to 46 crashes and from 60 disabled vehicles to 107.
“The majority of the crashes have involved damage to vehicles only,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.
Division I–Richmond (Metro Richmond/Northern Neck/Tri-Cities)
Traffic Crashes=262
Disabled vehicles=136
Division II–Culpeper (Fredericksburg/Culpeper/Warrenton/Harrisonburg/Winchester)
Traffic Crashes=102
Disabled Vehicles=55
Division III-Appomattox (Charlottesville/Waynesboro/Staunton/Lynchburg/South Boston/South Hill)
Traffic Crashes=56
Disabled Vehicles=36
Division IV-Wytheville (Wytheville/Dublin/Galax/Bristol/Vansant/Wise)
Traffic Crashes=46
Disabled Vehicles=126
Division V-Chesapeake (Hampton Roads/Tidewater/Eastern Shore/Williamsburg/Franklin/Emporia)
Traffic Crashes=269
Disabled Vehicles=81
Division VI-Salem (Lexington/Clifton Forge/Roanoke/Blacksburg/Bedford/Martinsville/Danville)
Traffic Crashes=60
Disabled Vehicles=66
Division VII-Fairfax (Prince William/Loudoun/Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax)
Traffic Crashes=46
Disabled Vehicles=107
Virginia State Police advised drivers to avoid unnecessary travel.
“Highways will only get worse during the overnight hours and any travel will be treacherous…no matter how slow one drives.”
If you must travel, state police wanted to share these safety tips:
- Clear off all snow from your vehicle – windows, roof, trunk and lights
- Add extra time to reach travel destination
- Slow speed for road conditions
- Increase driving distances between vehicles for increased stopping distance
- Buckle up and don’t drive distracted
- MOVE OVER for all stopped emergency vehicles, highway vehicles and tow trucks