Nine Deaths in Five Days on Virginia's Highways: Police

RICHMOND, VA — Nine people lost their lives on Virginia's highways from Saturday, Dec. 21 through midnight on Christmas Day. Year to date, 800 people have been killed in traffic crashes across Virginia, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Virginia State Police.

The total number of traffic deaths in 2019 closely parallels the 819 fatalities that occurred on Virginia's roadways in 2018. In addition to the fatalities, statistics from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) show that the daily average number of injuries on Virginia roadways from traffic crashes was 182 in 2018.

In 2017, 843 people died on Virginia's roadways, about 30 percent of the them alcohol-related, according to the DMV. It was the worst year for traffic fatalities in the state in the previous five years. During this period, the lowest number of traffic fatalities occurred in 2014 when 700 people died. Thirty-six percent of the traffic deaths in 2014 were alcohol-related.

The six reported crashes from Dec. 21 to Dec. 25 in 2019 occurred in Goochland, Loudoun, Richmond and Rockingham counties, and the cities of Chesapeake and Newport News. Three died in the Goochland County crash and two died in the Rockingham County crash. The Loudoun County crash killed a 79-year-old woman Christmas morning. The Newport News crash claimed the life of a pedestrian. Half of the crashes occurred on Christmas Eve.

With increased traffic on roadways and holiday celebrations taking place, the Virginia State Police is encouraging all motorists to be alert and drive distraction free at all times. The police said it hopes alert and safe drivers can help keep the number of road fatalities from increasing in the final week of 2019.