Virginia’s traffic fatalities have increased 17% due to riskier driving since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and state officials are looking for solutions.
In the five seconds it takes to respond to a text, sweep on a coat of mascara or unwrap a breakfast sandwich, a vehicle moving at 55 mph can travel the length of a football field. Succumbing to those common distractions is like driving that distance blindfolded, highway safety experts say.
Teen drivers are four times more likely to crash than motorists 20 and older, and the fatal crash rate for teens is nearly three times higher than that of older drivers.
Planting season is underway in Virginia, and drivers are being encouraged to use caution when encountering farm equipment on the state’s roadways.
A new Virginia law banning the use of cellphones while driving goes into effect Jan. 1, 2021, and Drive Smart Virginia is reminding motorists of the consequences of distracted driving.