Richmond, Va. – The final summer holiday ended on a somber note, as preliminary data shows that law enforcement investigated ten fatalities over the Labor Day Holiday. There were two double fatal crashes, the first of which occurred Sept. 1, 2024, in Northampton County on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The second double fatal occurred Sept. 2, 2024, in Henry County. There were 14 fatalities over the Labor Day Holiday in 2023.*
“We continue to be on an unsustainable pace for traffic fatalities,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “As the year winds down, we cannot stress enough the need for people to slow down, to buckle up, to place their complete focus on driving, and to drive sober.”
The fatal crashes occurred in the counties of Bedford, Caroline, Floyd, Henrico, Henry, Montgomery and Northampton, and the city of Lynchburg. The fatalities in Caroline on Aug. 30, 2024, and in Lynchburg on Sept. 1, 2024, both involved pedestrians. The four-day counting period took place from 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 30, 2024, to 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 2, 2024.
As part of the nationwide, state-sponsored Operation C.A.R.E (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort), Virginia State Police had all available troopers and supervisors on patrol during the 2024 holiday weekend. During the statistical counting period, Virginia State Police troopers cited 3,078 drivers for speeding and 1,376 drivers for reckless driving. Seventy-seven people were charged with Driving under the Influence (one for Driving under the Influence – Drugs). There were 261 citations for violations of the hands-free law, and 463 seat belt violations. There were also 105 child restraint violations. In total, troopers worked 797 crashes.
Funds generated from summonses issued by Virginia State Police go directly to court fees and the state’s Literary Fund, which benefits public school construction, technology funding and teacher retirement.
*2023 Virginia Traffic Crash Facts, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
