Virginia Police Crack Down Over Thanksgiving Weekend

VIRGINIA — As people travel to and from Thanksgiving dinner with families on busy roads through Sunday, police remind drivers to drive responsibly so no one misses a loved one during the holiday. To bolster safety during the busy traveling period, Virginia State Police will be increasing traffic enforcement on highways around the state.

Increased police visibility and traffic enforcement will happen over the long Thanksgiving holiday from Wednesday, Nov. 21 to Sunday, Nov. 25. The campaign is part of Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort), a nationwide, state-sponsored effort for law enforcement to increase presence during major travel holidays.

"When you get behind the wheel this Thanksgiving, remember the cars on the road with you are carrying someone’s loved ones, and the choices you make in the driver’s seat affect your family and theirs," said Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Gary T. Settle in a news release. "Avoid distractions, comply with speed limits, ensure everyone in your car is buckled up and never drive drunk. If we drive like every car is filled with our friends and family, we can make sure there are no empty chairs at the table this year."

SEE ALSO: Best, Worst Thanksgiving Travel Days In NoVA, DC

The heavily-traveled Thanksgiving holiday poses a greater risk to drivers. During the five-day Thanksgiving holiday in 2017, Virginia State Police say there were 14 traffic-related fatalities. This was the highest number of fatalities for the holiday since 2013 in Virginia. In 2016, there were eight fatalities; in 2015, there were nine.

Six of the Thanksgiving 2017 fatalities were from alcohol-related crashes, and more than half of the people killed weren't wearing seat belts.

During Operation C.A.R.E. during the 2017 Thanksgiving Holiday, Virginia state troopers cited 611 drivers for not wearing seat belts, 206 for child safety seat violations, 8,181 for speeding and 2,479 for reckless driving. Troopers arrested 105 drivers for drunk driving.

Virginia has seen a high number of traffic-related deaths in November. On Friday, Nov. 16 alone, four people died. From Nov. 9 to Nov. 15, 17 people died on Virginia's highways: one motorcyclist, two pedestrians, four passengers and 10 drivers.

In Virginia, a driver can be arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above 0.08. However, authorities remind residents that judgment, coordination, response time and other factors could be impaired at a BAC below 0.08.

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