News
October 27, 2017
Nearly 4,800 Traffic Violations & Arrests Made During East Coast 'Drive 2 Save Lives' Safety Initiative
650+ Summonses & Arrests by Virginia State Troopers
RICHMOND – A two-day “Drive to Save Lives” traffic safety initiative that spanned 15 states along the Interstate 95 corridor last week resulted in more than 650 total traffic summonses and arrests by Virginia State Police.
On Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, 2017, Virginia troopers cited 195 speeders and 61 drivers were charged with aggressive driving or other dangerous moving violations. Troopers also cited 35 motorists for failing to wear a seat belt and another 14 for child restraint violations. A total of 11 drunk drivers were taken off Virginia’s roadways and arrested by troopers. Other citations issued include inspection violations, equipment violations, expired safety inspections for commercial vehicles and size or weight violations.
In addition, Virginia troopers apprehended 21 wanted persons and made 42 criminal arrests.
Virginia State Police troopers dedicated nearly 2,300 hours to the stepped up patrol and enforcement efforts along the 179 miles of I-95 that stretch across Virginia from the border of North Carolina to Maryland.
“Traffic deaths are already up 12 percent this year over last and with the holiday travel season just weeks away, we cannot reinforce the ‘Drive to Save Lives’ message strongly enough,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Between October and December, crash numbers can jump by as many as 1,600 per month. With the increased potential for crashes on our highways, it’s incredibly important that all drivers do their part to buckle up, drop the distractions and make safety a priority.”
As of today (Oct. 27, 2017), there have been 662 reported traffic deaths on Virginia highways. On the same date in 2016, there were 584 reported traffic fatalities, which means 78 more persons have lost their lives in traffic crashes this year than last on Virginia’s roads.
During the multi-state “Drive to Save Lives” initiative, troopers across the 15 participating states affected a total of 4,776 traffic summonses and arrests, including 1,839 for speeding. Nearly 250 motorists were cited for seat belt violations and another 505 received citations for violations related to their driver’s license or registration. Troopers arrested 53 drivers along the I-95 corridor for drunk driving.
Other agencies that participated in the East Coast I-95 traffic enforcement operation are State Police and Highway Patrol agencies from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Funds generated from traffic summonses issued by Virginia State Police go directly to court fees and the state’s Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.
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Susan Rowland
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police
(Office) 804-674-2843
(Cell) 804-212-5342
Web: www.vsp.virginia.gov |
