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14 die on highways during holiday weekend

The 2021 Memorial Day weekend saw an increase in overall traffic volume on Virginia’s highways and an increase in traffic deaths.

The Virginia State Police said 14 people lost their lives during the four-day holiday statistical counting period. Two were riding motorcycles and eight were not wearing a seat belt. The counting period began at 12:01 a.m. May 28 and ended at midnight May 31. During the same period in 2020, traffic crashes on Virginia highways resulted in eight deaths.

The fatal crashes occurred in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Botetourt, Bedford, Northampton, Cumberland, Chesterfield, Prince George, Tazewell, Amherst, Fairfax and Albemarle. The two fatal motorcycle crashes occurred in Virginia Beach and Tazewell.

This year, the Memorial Day weekend fell within the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign. During the entire statistical counting period for both, which ran from 12:01 a.m. May 24 through midnight May 31, Virginia troopers cited 5,553 speeders and 1,818 reckle...

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