For Immediate Release: July 13, 2009
OPERATION AIR, LAND & SPEED NETS THIRD HIGHEST TOTAL VIOLATIONS ON INTERSTATES 81 AND 95
4,155 Speed Violations – 35 Drug/Felony Arrests – 12 DUI Arrests
RICHMOND – Operation Air, Land and Speed produced the third highest total violations since the traffic safety campaign began in 2006. The two-day enforcement blitz yielded 8,289 summonses and arrests along Interstate 81 and Interstate 95, which took place Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, 2009.
“For us, a successful day would be when state police does not issue a single ticket during this enforcement because it means motorists are complying with Virginia’s traffic laws,” says Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. “Unfortunately, the reality is there were more than eight thousand summonses issued during Operation Air, Land and Speed. These latest results are an indicator of how far we still have to go to emphasize the importance of highway safety to drivers.”
The record number of summonses and arrests for a two-day enforcement of Operation Air, Land and Speed was in July 2006 when the traffic safety project was launched by state police. The first initiative also concentrated on I-81 and I-95. All funds generated by Virginia State Police summonses go to the State Literacy Fund.
From the Tennessee border to West Virginia, 3,540 individuals were cited by Virginia State Police along I-81. The enhanced enforcement stopped 2,077 speeders and 240 individuals for reckless driving. Six drunk drivers were arrested and 15 drug/felony arrests were made by state police. Additionally, troopers cited 115 individuals for safety belt violations.
From the North Carolina border to the Maryland state line, state police issued 4,749 violations on I-95. State police stopped 2,078 drivers for speeding and 504 individuals for reckless driving along the north-south interstate corridor. In addition, troopers arrested six people for drunk driving and made 20 drug/felony arrests. Also, during the two-day enforcement initiative, state police issued 215 seat belt violations.
This is the eleventh time since 2006 that Operation Air, Land and Speed has focused on Interstate 81 and Interstate 95. A total of 20 operations have been conducted on Virginia interstates statewide since the campaign’s inception in 2006 and have yielded 106,186 total summonses and arrests.
The comprehensive enforcement project utilizes troopers, supervisors, motorcycle units and motor carrier troopers. State police operational duties on other interstates, primary and secondary roads are not affected during the operation. Funding for the enforcement initiative is provided through federal highway safety monies.
Deborah Cox
Public Relations Office l Virginia State Police
804.674.2843 l Deborah.cox@vsp.virginia.gov
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