Collegiate Times

This past Labor Day weekend was no holiday for some, as the four-day period experienced its most traffic fatalities in 10 years in the state of Virginia.

In response to increased traffic during holiday weekends such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving, all 50 states have created Operation C.A.R.E, which stands for "Combined Accident Reduction Effort."

The intention of the program is to reduce accidents and traffic violations during the heaviest weekend traveling periods. This is achieved by increasing the number of troops on the highway; there is usually around 50 percent of the force on the roads at all times but at least 75 percent of the force is on duty during the holidays.

The Virginia State police reported that during the period of August 31 to September 3, over 622 accidents occurred, while over 17,100 drivers were stopped, cited or arrested.

The lives of 11 drivers and eight passengers were taken, many by crashes where the driver ran off the road. The 19 deaths were the highest in 10 years for Labor Day weekend, eight more than the 11 deaths last year.

"Alcohol was not a prevalent factor ... that is encouraging," said Corrine Geller, Virginia State Police spokesperson. Only one of the crashes involved alcohol. The cause of two crashes is still unknown. Geller said the main factors of the crashes were driver inexperience, speeding and distractions.

"Nowadays cell phones, people text messaging ... there's a lot of distractions," said State Police Sgt. Bob Carpentieri.

Twelve of the 15 crashes involved the driver going off the road. Geller explained that typically a driver is distracted, either by food, cell phone, friends or stereo, begins to swerve off the road, and then overcorrects and swerves.

"Nine times out of 10 you'll lose control and overcorrect," Geller said.

Eleven of the 19 killed were between the ages of 16 and 25, making driver inexperience a major factor.

Geller stressed that accidents would be significantly reduced if drivers and passengers were to wear their seatbelts. Eight people killed this year were not wearing a seatbelt.

According to the Virginia Police Department, police cited 821 safety belt violations and 258 child restraint violations over the weekend.

The Virginia State Police has created more awareness programs to encourage safer driving and decrease accidents. Operation C.A.R.E., launched by Gov. Tim Kaine, works to decrease DUI's in Virginia, especially in the 16 to 25 year-old range.

Even with programs working to decrease drunk driving, the technological age brings new road dangers such as cell phone use, text messaging and iPods.

"Unfortunately we can only do so much," Geller said. "It's up to the driver to make sure that he or she is buckled up and limiting distractions."