'Alarmingly tragic:' 25 people died in Virginia crashes in just 8 days, state police says

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — State police are worried about the “alarmingly tragic” string of recent deadly traffic crashes across the state.

During the eight days after Memorial Day from May 28 to June 4, troopers investigated 21 crashes that resulted in 25 deaths, according to state police.

The crashes happened “in all corners of the Commonwealth,” including Newport News and Virginia Beach.

Now, police are reminding people to focus on driving safely to prevent more deaths on Virginia’s roads.

“Twenty-five traffic deaths in one week should be of very serious concern for every Virginian,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “In order for this summer to be a safe one, we need Virginians to re-commit to safe driving habits. Driving smart, safe and sober must be everyone’s number one, and only, focus when behind the wheel.”

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The reminder from state police comes at a crucial time: the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is considered the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen driving since school’s out.

State police provided the following resources to encourage safe driving:

Despite the high volume of recent crashes, the number of traffic deaths on Virginia highways in 2024 (336) is comparable to this time last year (341).