Fatal Wrecks Down, DUI Arrests Up for July 4 Weekend in Virginia

With Independence Day weekend behind us, Virginia State Police are reporting fewer fatal traffic crashes from the three-day holiday weekend than any July 4 weekend in the commonwealth since 2002.

Virginia only suffered four fatal crashes between Friday, July 3, and Sunday, July 5, claiming the lives of three drivers and one passenger (a 5-year-old girl from Washington County who was not secured in a booster seat). Last year, Virginia claimed 11 fatalities during the three-day July 4 weekend, according to a Virginia State Police news release.

This year’s four fatal crashes were among 690 total crashes reported statewide over the weekend.

However, while fatalities were down, the number of drunk drivers didn’t necessarily make a similar dip. In fact, the decrease in fatalities was likely the result of authorities cracking down on drunk drivers and arresting them before they could take lives from behind the wheel.

“Despite the record decrease in traffic deaths over this past holiday weekend, the fact that DUI arrests increased by almost 20 percent is of extreme concern,” Virginia State Police Superintendent Colonel W. Steven Flaherty said in the news release. “Such an increase means 96 individuals made the irresponsible and potentially deadly decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol. Those drivers put countless other motorists at risk for a crash, injury or death.”

During the holiday weekend, VSP participated in Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (C.A.R.E.), an annual, state-sponsored, national program that encourages law enforcement agencies to increase visibility and traffic enforcement efforts on major travel holidays.

As part of Operation C.A.R.E., VSP troopers arrested 96 impaired drivers for DUI, 19 more DUI arrests than were made during last July 4 weekend.

In addition to DUI arrests, troopers also cited nearly 9,000 speeders and another 2,200-plus reckless drivers statewide. Troopers also cited 822 safety belt violations and 327 child safety seat violations, according to the VSP news release.