Traffic Deaths Plunge in Virginia During 2016 Memorial Day Weekend

It was a far safer Memorial Day weekend this year than last year, with traffic fatalities almost cut in half, according to Virginia State Police.

Only eight drivers and passengers died in seven traffic crashes statewide this past holiday weekend, compared to 14 over the same time period in 2015, police said in a statement.

The fatal crashes happened in the counties of Accomack, Amherst, Arlington, Henrico, New Kent, Pittsylvania and York. The only one with multiple fatalities was a single-vehicle crash May 30 in Accomack County, which killed the driver and a passenger.

The seven fatal accidents were out of a total of 847 traffic crashes statewide over the four-day period.

Three of the drivers were not wearing seat belts in the seven accidents. Police are in the mist of an aggressive "Click It or Ticket" campaign, and Virginia State Police troopers ticketed 913 people for safety belt violations, as well as another 272 for child safety seat violations. The campaign will run through June 5.

"As encouraging as this decrease is in traffic deaths for the extended holiday weekend, we still have a great deal of work to do to save even more lives on Virginia’s highways," Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent, said in the statement. "We are on the cusp of the summer vacation and travel season, so we need all motorists to do their part in driving to save lives by buckling up, complying with speed limits, avoiding driving distractions, and never driving drunk or drugged. Drive like your life depends on it."