14 People Killed In Crashes In VA Over Thanksgiving Weekend: State Police

VIRGINIA— Fourteen people died on Virginia’s roads during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend, a 180 percent increase over the number of deaths during the 2021 holiday weekend, according to preliminary data released by the Virginia State Police on Tuesday.

The 14 deaths equal the number of people killed in highway crashes in Virginia in 2017 and 2012, the most deaths reported over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in the past dozen years.

In 2021, five people died on Virginia highways during the five-day Thanksgiving statistical counting period, a decrease from 2020 when there were 12 traffic fatalities.

This past weekend, three pedestrians and one motorcyclist were among the people who died during the five-day period from 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 to midnight on Sunday, Nov. 27. Of the 10 people who died while riding in vehicles equipped with seatbelts, eight were not wearing one, the state police said.

The fatal crashes occurred in Brunswick, Campbell, Chesterfield, Floyd, Greensville, Henrico, Loudoun, Powhatan, Prince William, Rockingham and Spotsylvania counties and the cities of Richmond, Roanoke and Virginia Beach.

State police responded to 1,449 traffic crashes across the state, with 138 of those resulting in injuries, according to the data. State police also assisted 890 disabled or stranded motorists during the long Thanksgiving weekend.

The Virginia State Police participated in Operation C.A.R.E., an annual national program where the state police increase their visibility and traffic enforcement efforts during the five-day Thanksgiving holiday period.

The 2022 Thanksgiving Holiday CARE initiative resulted in Virginia state troopers citing 4,413 speeders and 1,803 reckless drivers. Virginia troopers arrested 93 drivers for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and cited 454 for seatbelt violations, according to the state police.

RELATED: Thanksgiving Holiday Traffic Deaths Decrease In Virginia: Police