Virginia is hoping a highway safety operation launching this week will continue to drive down fatal collisions, specifically along the state’s second-longest interstate: I-64.
Virginia State Police will be out in force on the 300-mile interstate Thursday and Friday during "Operation DISS-rupt."
Troopers will be focused on "DISS," an acronym for distracted driving, impaired driving, speed compliance and seatbelt safety.
There have been 831 fatal collisions on Virginia roadways this year as of Monday, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. That’s down from 907 in 2023 and a peak of 1,005 in 2022.
State officials want to keep those numbers trending down, but they are keenly aware that collisions tend to spike at the end of the year during the holiday season, when people are traveling more for vacation, drinking more alcohol at parties and distracted by winter weather conditions, such as ice, wind and snow.
“This initiative is about getting back to the basics of traffic safety, especially during the holiday travel season," Capt. Craig C. Worsham, commander of the Virginia State Police Appomattox Division, said in a statement announcing Operation DISS-rupt. “We are challenging motorists to help DISS-rupt the dangerous driving behaviors that put drivers and passengers at risk. Help us to make this a safe holiday season.”
A similar state police operation was run on I-64 back in April. Troopers cited 218 drivers for speeding, 74 for reckless driving and 32 for distracted driving between April 3 and 4.
Source: www.dailyprogress.com