News
September 20, 2010
Zero Traffic Fatalities Reported During September Operation Air, Land & Speed Safety Initiative
Virginia State Police Include Interstate 85 During Weekend Enforcement
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.
A partial breakdown for each interstate is provided below:
| Category |
Interstate 81 |
Interstate 95 |
Interstate 85 |
| Speeders |
1,390 |
1,053 |
262 |
| Reckless Drivers |
154 |
410 |
54 |
| Impaired Drivers |
8 |
9 |
2 |
| Drug Arrests/Felonies |
7 |
7 |
3 |
The enforcement effort targets all 177 miles of I-95 from border to border; all 325 miles of I-81; and all 69 miles of I-85 to the North Carolina state line. A total of 150,827 summonses and arrests have resulted from the 29 Operation Air, Land & Speed initiatives conducted across Virginia since 2006.
This is the fourth Operation Air, Land and Speed on I-81 and I-95 this year and the sixteenth operation conducted since the program’s inception. The last time VSP targeted both highways was in July when a total of 6,264 summonses and arrests were made.
Additionally, there were 50 child safety seat belt violations issued during the September weekend traffic safety enforcement blitz. As a reminder, this week marks National Child Passenger Safety Week which runs from Sept. 19-25, 2010.
“With Sunday marking the beginning of National Child Passenger Safety Week, it is a good time to remind parents, grandparents and anyone responsible for transporting our young children in the Commonwealth to always make sure their child seat or booster seat is properly secured,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “If a child safety seat isn’t properly restrained then it is not providing the protection it should during a crash and potentially saving a child from injury or death.”
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