UPDATE:
Interstate 81. We all drive it - but with notoriously heavy traffic and accidents, not everyone feels comfortable on the road.
“Do you feel safe on the interstate?” 10 News Reporter Abbie Coleman asked one driver.
“No, there’s too many tractor trailers and there’s too much traffic,” the driver said.
From January 1 to September 15 of this year, 590 people died in crashes on Virginia roads.
That’s why Virginia State Police are hoping to ‘DISS-rupt’ drivers when it comes to the key causes of accidents.
“Nowadays it’s going to be distracted driving, people using their cell phones. That’s what this crash was from,” senior trooper J. Weist said.
Weist was out on Interstate 81 Thursday to show drivers the true consequences of driving distracted.
“Someone was distracted using a cell phone while they were driving and they ran into the back of either a dump truck or a semi-trailer,” Weist said.
Drivers tell 10 News they’re sick of seeing people on their phones behind the wheel.
“In my opinion they should come up with some sort of device, where when you’re in the car, the only thing that will work is 911,” one driver said.
“What do you think when you see that?” Coleman asked another driver.
“I think it’s terrifying. If they were my kids, they would get in trouble,” they said.
Ditch distractions, never drive impaired, comply with speed limits and seat belt safety. Sergeant Rick Garletts tells us those four things are the focus of Operation DISS-rupt.
“We’re looking for a 10% reduction in crashes overall along the entire Interstate 81 in Virginia,” Garletts said.
It runs all 325 miles of the interstate from Thursday to Friday.
They last ran operation disrupt in February. Nearly 350 drivers were cited for speeding, 36 for reckless driving, and 15 for DUIs.
“You see the damage on this vehicle and you see what can happen,” Garletts said.
And while cars today have more and more safety features it’s not entirely left up to the car.
“Manufacturers do a great job with safety innovations in and around the vehicles, but it’s ultimately the driver’s responsibility to keep themselves safe,” he said.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Multiple Virginia State Police Divisions will be conducting Operation DISS-rupt on the entirety of Interstate 81 on September 19 and 20.
Operation DISS-rupt is to ensure the safety of all drivers on the road by targeting the four key causes of fatal and serious injury crashes across Virginia’s interstate system, those being:
- Ditching Distractions
- Never Driving Impaired
- Complying with Speed Limits
- Wearing a seatbelt
The operation was also carried out earlier this year, back in February. During that enforcement period, 343 drivers were cited for speeding, 36 for reckless driving, and 15 arrested for driving while intoxicated. There were no fatalities on Interstate 81 during the time period.
“As we head into the busy last few months of the year, we want to make sure that Virginians are getting to their destinations safely. Initiatives like ‘DISS-rupt’ are about getting Virginians back to the basics about traffic safety: making sure they are driving sober, driving safely, buckled up, and focused on the task ahead.”
Captain Richard A. Denney, Commander of the Virginia State Police Salem Division
Tonight, we’re speaking to two members of the Virginia State Police to about the operation to bring you more information.