There was a significant decrease in fatal traffic crashes over the 2021 Labor Day weekend, but crashes still took the lives of eight people this year.
The Virginia State Police said of the eight traffic deaths reported for the holiday weekend to date, four involved motorcycles and one involved a moped. During the 2020 Labor Day weekend, there were a total of 20 traffic fatalities on Virginia’s highways.
State police also said they arrested 59 impaired drivers on Virginia highways during the holiday statistical counting period.
The fatal crashes this year happened in the counties of Bedford, Charlotte, Hanover, Madison, Suffolk, and Wythe, along with the cities of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.
State police investigated a total of 778 traffic crashes during the holiday weekend.
As a result of state police traffic safety enforcement efforts during the 2021 statistical counting period, Virginia troopers:
- Stopped 4,602 speeders
- Stopped 1,591 reckless drivers
- Arrested 59 drivers for DUI/DUID
- Cited 402 seat belt violations
- Assisted 995 disabled/stranded motorists
“I can only hope that the reduction in traffic deaths during the Labor Day weekend is a sign of continued reductions for the remainder of the year,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “We haven’t seen holiday numbers like this since 2017. In order to further reduce and prevent traffic deaths and injuries on Virginia’s highways, we need the public’s help. The decisions are simple: drive smart, safe and sober.”
