On Friday and Saturday, motorists traveling Interstate 64 and the interstates within Hampton Roads will see an increased presence of Virginia State Police troopers.

The Department is launching another Operation Air, Land, and Speed traffic safety initiative to remind people of the need to slow down, buckle up, and drive safely and responsibly on Virginia’s interstates.

This is the first time the state police enforcement operation has targeted I-264, I-464 and I-664 in the Hampton Roads region. Though traffic fatalities are down statewide by as many as 97 this year compared to last year, the Hampton Roads area is experiencing a rash of traffic deaths.

Just this month, state and local police have reported 12 traffic fatalities in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater region.

“The Hampton Roads region was specifically selected for this operation because of the significant number and type of incidents our Chesapeake Division troopers are responding to on the interstates,” says Col. W. Steven Flaherty, VSP superintendent. “In addition, especially with the increase in traffic the summer months attract to the region, this highway safety campaign provides an opportunity to remind Virginians and our out-of-state travelers of how serious state police take traffic safety.”

This operation also includes I-64, which has been targeted in previous Operation Air, Land & Speed projects. Troopers will saturate the entire length of I-64 from its interchange with I-81 at Staunton to Hampton Roads during the two-day effort.

This weekend’s campaign is the 14th Operation Air, Land & Speed along Virginia’s interstates since the project’s inception in 2006. To date 69,671 summonses and arrests have resulted from the previous operations. The last initiative took place on June 27th and 28th on interstates 95 and 81.

With the increase in troopers on the road during this special enforcement, Virginia State Police remind motorists to comply with Virginia’s “Move Over” law, which requires drivers to change to another travel lane or, when not able to, to slow down and cautiously pass emergency personnel stopped on the side of the road.

The premise of Operation Air, Land, & Speed is to keep motorists safe and promote responsible driver behaviors. To prevent and reduce traffic crash fatalities, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Transportation and Department of Motor Vehicles have issued a Highway Safety Challenge. Take the challenge and follow these five steps towards a safer future:

- Buckle Up
- Avoid distractions
- Share the road
- Drive drug & alcohol free
- Obey speed limit

State police operational duties on other interstates, primary and secondary roads will not be affected during the operation. Funding for the enforcement initiative is provided through federal highway safety monies.