Virginia State Police worked 892 crashes over the four-day Fourth of July holiday weekend, with 14 of the crashes leading to the deaths of 15 people.
One head-on crash in Smyth County on July 3 killed two people, and on July 5 in Frederick County, a motorcyclist died in a crash on Interstate 81 after refusing to stop for a state trooper.
“Fatal crashes are preventable” said Lt. Col. Todd Taylor, director of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Field Operations.
Preliminary information reveals at least four of those killed in these crashes were not wearing their seatbelts, and excessive speed was a factor in at least four of the fatal crashes, according to Taylor.
Over the holiday weekend, troopers cited 3,153 drivers for speeding and 1,540 for reckless driving. Seventy drivers were arrested for driving under the influence/driving under the influence-drugs.
Troopers also wrote 474 seatbelt citations and 133 child restraint citations.
“The worst thing to happen to you when you do not follow the rules of the road is not a ticket but loss of your life or someone else’s,” Taylor said. “Nobody involved in these crashes expected that to happen while the world was celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, but it did. If they would have buckled up, slowed down, avoided distractions, and stayed sober, these tragic outcomes likely could have been prevented.”
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Chris Graham
