Virginia State Police Increase Patrols for Memorial Day

Motorists who anticipate enjoying the extended time off from work by traveling on Memorial Day can expect to see an increase in Virginia State Police troopers on the road.

The additional patrols statewide are part of the annual Operation C.A.R.E., (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries associated with speed, failure to wear seatbelts and impaired driving. The state-sponsored, national program encourages law enforcement agencies to increase its visibility and traffic enforcement efforts on major travel holidays. As a result, state police will boost patrols around the Commonwealth through midnight tonight, Monday, May 27.

Virginia State Police will also continue its active participation in the nationwide Click-It-or-Ticket program, through June 2. The statewide traffic safety initiative is a collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies intended to draw attention to improve seat belt use among adults and increase child safety seat use -- with the ultimate goal of saving lives. During the 2011 May Click-It-Or-Ticket enforcement wave, Virginia State Police troopers issued 1,571 summonses for adults failing to wear safety belts and another 507 summonses for child safety restraint violations.

“By not wearing your seat belt, you are taking a gamble with your life -- so why take that risk?” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Statistics have proven that wearing your seatbelt can help save your life or reduce your chance for injuries in a crash. It should be one of the first things you do when you get into a vehicle. Make the right choice, not just during a holiday weekend, but all year long and buckle up, watch your speed, and drive sober and distraction-free.”

The 2012 Operation C.A.R.E. initiative resulted in 11,577 speeders and 2,997 reckless drivers being stopped, and 137 drunk drivers being taken off the road and arrested. State police also investigated a total of 660 traffic crashes. During the 2012 Memorial Day weekend, 11 individuals lost their lives in traffic crashes statewide – at least ten of them were unbuckled. A total of 12 died in Virginia as a result of traffic crashes over the 2011 Memorial Day weekend and 11 people were killed during the 2010 holiday weekend.

As the Memorial Day holiday comes to a close tonight, please remember to drive safely today -- and every day!

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Keep Up With Travel Conditions This Holiday... and This Summer

Staying abreast of current traffic conditions on Virginia’s interstates and roadways has never been more convenient for motorists.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) posts information in real-time about traffic incidents and highway work zones through 511Virginia, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds.

“As a fellow driver, I know how important it is to have reliable, timely information on road conditions and traffic incidents when you are traveling,” said VDOT Commissioner Greg Whirley. “VDOT offers multiple tools to share what is happening on Virginia’s roadways, delivering information when it is needed so motorists can make informed travel choices.”

Motorists can view traffic cameras and alerts about construction work zones, congestion or traffic incidents on VDOT’s 24-hour travel information website, www.511Virginia.org. 511Virginia is also available by calling 511 from any telephone in Virginia.

A mobile version of the 511Virginia website, designed for handheld devices, is available at mobile511virginia.org. Remember to pull over when using your mobile phone or have another passenger use the device. Don’t drive distracted.

Lane closures and crash reports available on 511Virginia are also communicated through VDOT’s Twitter accounts, targeted for different parts of Virginia and specific interstate corridors, such as Interstate 95 or Interstate 81. Visit www.VirginiaDOT.org to see a list of VDOT’s Twitter accounts and how to subscribe.

VDOT’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VirginiaDOT is updated with statewide travel and transportation news.

VDOT’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/vdotweb has recorded more than 450,000 views of uploaded videos since 2007. Videos on travel safety advice, projects and programs are posted on this site.

To report a road hazard or to get answers to your transportation question, you can also call VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (1-800-367-7623) around the clock.

  For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.

Northern Virginia HOV Schedule this Memorial Day Weekend

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation, HOV restrictions on Interstates 66, 95 and 395 will be lifted on Monday, May 30.

Northbound/Southbound Schedule for the I-95/395 Reversible Lanes
Lanes will be southbound from 1 p.m., Friday, May 27, until 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28; and northbound from 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28, through the rest of the holiday weekend.

Closure for Rolling Thunder
The I-95/395 HOV lanes will be closed to regular traffic from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 29, for the annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally.

More information on Northern Virginia HOV schedules can be found online.

  For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.