Statistically, October is the most dangerous month on Virginia roadways.

To promote safe driving and reduce crashes, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is joining with Virginia State Police and 19 local law enforcement agencies, including the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office, to participate in Operation Crash Reduction this holiday weekend, Oct. 7-10.

The awareness and enforcement campaign, led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, encourages drivers in Virginia and surrounding states to buckle up, slow down and practice other safe driving behaviors. The goal is to prevent crashes, reduce injuries and save lives.

Over the last 10 years, 8,034 people were killed in crashes on Virginia roadways. Of those deaths, 791—10 percent—occurred in October, making it statistically the most dangerous month of the year for crash fatalities, according to the Virginia DMV. In October 2021, 86 people were killed and more than 5,200 injured in nearly 12,000 crashes in Virginia. Of those killed, almost half were not properly restrained with a seat belt, car seat or booster seat.

 “As folks travel this holiday weekend, we ask them to remember the basic skills they learned when they started to drive—buckle up, follow a safe speed, stay focused and never drive impaired,” said Acting DMV Commissioner Linda Ford, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “We could save so many lives if people commit to employing these skills every time they get behind the wheel.”