Virginia State Police urge seatbelt use as Thanksgiving travel nears

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As the holiday travel season approaches, Virginia State Police is urging Virginians to make buckling up a tradition this year. It follows a new Virginia law that changed this year, requiring all passengers to be "appropriately restrained."

“We want Virginians to spend time with their families this Thanksgiving,” said Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “We also want them to get to their destination and back home safely.  We are asking everyone to please buckle up, as well as drive sober, distraction-free, and under the speed limit this holiday.”

During the last two Thanksgivings, more than half of the deadly crashes involved someone not wearing a seatbelt or seatbelt use could not be determined, per a Nov. 21 release from state police. Before this new law, only those under the age of 18 and those in the front seat were required to wear a seatbelt or be in an age-appropriate restraint.

“As we gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of how quickly a family can be changed forever. My son Christopher was just 18 when he was killed in a crash where a seat belt could have saved his life. That loss is why we advocated the new Christopher King Seat Belt Law — to honor him by protecting others,” said Christy King, founder of the Christopher King Foundation, and one of the proponents of the new seatbelt law. “We urge every Virginian to please buckle up, every trip, every time. It’s the simplest act of love you can give your family this holiday season.”

As the Virginia State Police urge Virginians to make buckling up a holiday tradition this Thanksgiving, police are also encouraging other traffic safety initiatives.

These Thanksgiving efforts coincide with the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) winter holidays DUI-prevention campaign -- initiatives aimed at saving lives by using seat belts and refraining from driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs.

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Ahead of the increased travel this holiday will bring, state police will again activate Operation Crash Awareness Reduction Effort (CARE) -- described as a state-sponsored, national program meant to reduce crashes, as well as traffic deaths and injuries, caused by impaired driving, speeding and failure to wear a seatbelt.

The period starts at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, and runs through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30.

Last year, troopers cited 404 people for not wearing a seatbelt and wrote 116 citations for child restraint violations. In addition, 77 people were arrested for DUI, 3,638 drivers were cited for speeding and over 1,700 drivers were cited for reckless driving.

VDOT announced on Thursday that it will suspend many highway work zones and lift temporary lane closures during Thanksgiving travel -- also in anticipation of more holiday travel.