Drivers be advised – looks can be and are deceiving! Highways may appear to be clear, but slick and icy conditions still exist. As seen in the attached photo – VSP troopers are still on scene now with this tractor-trailer that ran off the right side of northbound Route 29 near Beverly Ford Road in Culpeper County. The driver was not injured in the crash.
Motorists are encouraged to still delay travel so VDOT crews can continue treating and clearing highways.
Since 12 a.m. Sunday (Jan. 13), Virginia State Police troopers have responded to more than 230 traffic crashes and assisted 117 disabled/stuck motorists statewide. The majority of crashes have involved only damaged vehicles. (Time frame: 12 a.m. Sunday to 12 p.m. Sunday)
- Richmond Division: 89 traffic crashes & 21 disabled vehicles
- Culpeper Division: 22 traffic crashes & 15 disabled vehicles
- Appomattox Division: 16 traffic crashes & 6 disabled vehicles
- Wytheville Division: 7 traffic crashes & 2 disabled vehicles
- Chesapeake Division: 28 traffic crashes & 12 disabled vehicles
- Salem Division: 9 traffic crashes and 11 disabled vehicles
- Fairfax Division: 34 traffic crashes and 52 disabled vehicles
VSP has investigated three fatal crashes since Saturday night (Jan. 12):
- 1/12/19 – Pulaski County on Interstate 81 (1 fatality)
- 1/13/19 – Brunswick County on rural road (1 fatality – 16 yr old male passenger)
- 1/13/19 – City of Norfolk on Interstate 64 (1 fatality)
As of 12 p.m. Sunday, VSP troopers are on scene at 27 traffic crashes and nine disabled/stuck motorists:
- Richmond Division: 5 traffic crashes & 1 disabled vehicles
- Culpeper Division: 4 traffic crashes & 2 disabled vehicles
- Appomattox Division: 7 traffic crashes & 2 disabled vehicles
- Wytheville Division: 1 traffic crash & 1 disabled vehicle
- Chesapeake Division: 5 traffic crashes & 0 disabled vehicles
- Salem Division: 1 traffic crash and 1 disabled vehicle
- Fairfax Division: 3 traffic crashes and 4 disabled vehicles
We want to remind Virginians to please call 511 or go to www.511virginia.or for road conditions and not 911 or #77. We need to keep emergency lines open for emergency calls.
We are asking Virginians to delay their travel until later today. But, if you MUST travel…then please take the following safety precautions:
- Clear off ALL snow and ice from your vehicle – windows, roof, trunk and lights…and use your headlights to make yourself more visible
- Add extra time to reach travel destination
- Slow speed for road conditions
- Increase driving distances between vehicles for increased stopping distance
- Buckle up and don’t drive distracted
- MOVE OVER for all stopped emergency vehicles, highway vehicles and tow trucks.
Press Release by Corinne N. Geller, Public Relations Director, Virginia State Police
Colonial Beach News 