Fourteen people died in auto accidents on Virginia highways over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Three were pedestrians, one was a motorcyclist, and among the 10 who were in vehicles, eight weren’t wearing their seatbelts.
“Not sure how many times we can say this until folks start paying attention, but ‘Seatbelts save lives,’” Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Gary T. Settle said.
The 14 traffic deaths over the 2022 Thanksgiving weekend represented a massive jump from 2021. There were five deaths over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend last year.
State Police responded to 1,449 traffic crashes across the Commonwealth this past weekend, with 138 of those resulting in injuries.
More data: troopers cited 4,413 speeders and 1,803 reckless drivers statewide, and made 93 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and wrote 454 citations for seatbelt violations.
The eight that won’t get seatbelt violations weigh on Settle’s mind.
“We are now heading into the 2022 holiday season with 14 families grieving the loss of their loved ones due to these Thanksgiving holiday traffic crashes. For eight of those 14, the simple act of buckling up may well have prevented such tragic outcomes. Please buckle up everyone in your vehicle every time and on every ride,” Settle said.
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Chris Graham
