RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia State Police did not take a holiday break over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend.
Troopers wrote 7,419 speeding tickets, 2,157 tickets for reckless driving, and arrested 102 drunk drivers, according to Virginia State Police.
In an effort to prevent traffic deaths over the long-holiday weekend, police participated in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort) and increased their visibility on the highways. Despite that extra effort, 12 people were killed in crashes between Wednesday morning and midnight Sunday.
The fatal crashes were reported in Danville, Hampton, Lynchburg, Winchester, Accomack County, Greensville County, Hanover County, Henry County, Montgomery County, Stafford County and Wise County. Alcohol played a role in at least two of the fatal crashes, police said. Four of those killed were not wearing seat belts.
“Virginia State Police troopers are committed to keeping our highways as safe as possible during the winter holiday season by increasing patrols and DUI checkpoints with our local law enforcement partners across the state,” Virginia State Police Superintendent Colonel Gary T. Settle said. “Now we just need the motoring public to commit to driving safe, smart and sober.”
Speeders and reckless drivers were not the only problems on the road, according to state police.
Troopers cited 596 people for failing to wear their seat belt and wrote 198 citations for people who violated child safety seat laws.
In 2017, 14 people were killed in crashes over Thanksgiving weekend.
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