CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – As what they say is part of an effort to ensure Virginians get to their Thanksgiving destinations safely, State Police will be conducting a highway safety initiative along Route 29 from Fauquier County to the North Carolina line. State Police’s Matt Demlein says they’re doing it Friday which coincides with the start of Thanksgiving break for some colleges and universities… though UVA doesn’t get out until Wednesday. He says troopers will be targeting speeding, reckless driving, distracted driving, and seatbelt violations.

Data over the past two years has shown an increase in crashes, especially injury crashes, along Route 29 during the month of November. Overall crashes increased 17% from November 2021 to November 2023 in the enforcement area, and crashes with injuries increased nearly 43% over the same time period. Demlein says they did a similar initiative along Route 460 in August, coinciding with the start of the fall college semester.