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Virginia State Police to increase enforcement efforts on U.S. 29 starting Saturday

Crystal Graham
U.S. 29 route 29 driver pulled over by police
(© Gorodenkoff – stock.adobe.com)

Virginia State Police troopers will be out in full force starting Saturday on U.S. 29 from Fauquier County to the North Carolina state line.

The highway safety initiative is part of an effort to ensure Virginians get to their Thanksgiving destinations and coincides with the start of fall break for colleges and universities.

State troopers will be targeting speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving and seatbelt violations.

Data shows an increase in crashes along Route 29 during the month of November. Crashes increased from 17 percent in November 2021 (659 crashes) to November 2023 (774) in the enforcement area. Crashes with injuries increased nearly 43 percent over the same time period: 277 in 2021 vs. 396 in 2023.

Virginia State Police held a similar initiative along Route 460 in August coinciding with the start of the fall college semester.

 

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.