Extra Traffic Enforcement Planned On Interstate Over 2 Days: VA State Police

Additional enforcement of traffic safety laws will be present on Interstate 66 over the weekend, according to Virginia State Police.

Operation DISS-rupt will happen on all 76 miles of Interstate 66 on the weekend of Aug. 23 and 24. The enforcement by the Virginia State Police Fairfax and Culpeper Divisions will focus on distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding, and seat belt safety.

The initiative targets the causes of fatal and serious injury crashes on Virginia interstates. According to preliminary data, 456 people have died in traffic crashes on Virginia roads so far in 2025. By comparison, there were 537 deaths in this time period in 2023.

Operation DISS-rupt seeks to result in no fatal crashes during the enforcement period and reduce interstate crashes by 10 percent throughout the year. A similar Operation DISS-rupt on Interstate 66 happened on Feb. 17 and 18. State troopers issued 14 driver citations for reckless driving and 35 for speeding. There were no fatal crashes or seat belt violations observed on I-66 during the enforcement period.

Virginia State Police remind drivers that the "hands-free law" bans drivers from holding a handheld communications device while driving. GPS and phone calls are allowed when phones are mounted or not in the driver's hands.

As of July 1, a new Virginia law requires all vehicle occupants to wear a seat belt. The previous law only required seat belts for minors and adult front seat passengers.

State police also encourage drivers to designate a sober driver, use public transportation or ridesharing, never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and follow speed limits.