Thirteen people lost their lives on Virginia's roadways during the long Labor Day weekend counting period, an increase over the seven deaths a year ago, Virginia State Police said today.
The 13 deaths, which occurred in 11 crashes over the four-day weekend, marked a decrease from the 22 fatalities during the 2007 Labor Day weekend.
"What this says is, the need is still there to remind drivers they are taking their own lives, their passengers' and other motorists' lives into their own hands when they get behind the wheel," said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, the state police superintendent. "State police cannot emphasize enough the importance of putting safety first, so you or your loved one doesn't become the next statistic on Virginia's roads."
State police said four of the crashes involved motorcycles. Of the remaining four passengers and five drivers killed in motor vehicle crashes, one passenger and two drivers were not wearing safety belts.
Alcohol was a factor in two of the vehicles crashes, one motorcycle crash and unknown in four others.
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