RICHMOND, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – With the 2024 Memorial Day weekend falling in the midst of graduation season, the Virginia State Police is reminding drivers of all ages to drive smart, safe and sober. State Police’s Matt Demlein says already, 295 adults, teenagers, and young children have died in Virginia traffic crashes the first 145 days of 2024… and 9 people died over the Memorial Day holiday last year. The goal this year is zero.

Demlein says they’re doing Operation CARE, which stands for Crash Awareness Reduction Effort, which is intended to reduce crashes, fatalities, and injuries due to impaired driving, speeding, and failure to wear a seat belt. He says all available troopers and supervisors are on the roads throughout the holiday weekend to help ensure roads be safe as possible. Last Memorial Day weekend, Demlein says troopers ticketed more than 770 for seat belt infractions.