13 Die, Thousands Cited on Roads over Thanksgiving

It was a deadly weekend on the roads this Thanksgiving holiday in Virginia where 12 people lost their lives.

State police were out in force Wednesday through Sunday night during the holiday weekend. The number of fatalities rose slightly from the same time in 2011 when 11 people were killed on state roads.

Two of the fatal crashes occurred in Prince William and Stafford counties, and three crashes statewide – including the incident in Stafford – involved pedestrian deaths.

More in a press release from Virginia State Police:

Of the 13 individuals killed in holiday traffic crashes statewide, three were pedestrians, one was a motorcyclist, and one crash involved a double fatality. The victims ranged in age from 17 years to 71 years old. Alcohol was a factor in at least three of the crashes. Five of the fatalities involved individuals who were not wearing a seatbelt which included four drivers and one passenger. Except for one Maryland resident and one Pennsylvania resident, all those killed in the holiday traffic crashes were from Virginia.

The pedestrian fatalities occurred in the counties of Chesterfield, Loudoun and Stafford. The fatal motorcycle crash took place in Fauquier County. The double fatality in Fairfax County on Interstate 66 was the only one to occur on an interstate during the holiday weekend. Of the seven remaining crashes, one occurred in the City of Richmond; and the counties of Brunswick, Buckingham, Franklin, Louisa, Southampton and Prince William.

During the 2012 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Virginia State Police cited 9,976 for speeding; 3,099 for reckless driving; 115 for driving under the influence; 832 individuals for failing to wear a seat belt, and 280 for not using child restraints.