On Friday and Saturday, Operation Air, Land and Speed returns to Interstate 95 and Interstate 81 and Virginia State Police urges motorists to practice safe driving habits as the summer season gets underway.

The two-day campaign increases the number of available troopers, supervisors, motorcycle units, motor carrier troopers and aviation units along the entire length of I-95 and I-81 as part of this aggressive traffic safety enforcement.

“We do our part to encourage safer driving behavior and we ask the driving public to do theirs,” says Col. W. Steven Flaherty, VSP Superintendent. “Making a conscious decision to be a responsible and defensive driver is one of the best ways to help prevent fatalities and keep Virginia’s roads safer.”

This is the fourth Operation Air, Land and Speed campaign for 2008 and the second time this year I-95 and I-81 have been the focus of the enhanced traffic safety enforcement.

On Sunday March 9, and Monday, March 10, Operation Air, Land and Speed yielded record totals on the two north-south interstate corridors with 8,844 summonses and arrests. On I-81, Virginia State Police issued 3,746 violations compared to 5,098 violations along I-95. The totals also exceeded prior two-day Operation Air, Land and Speed safety campaigns.

The premise of Operation Air, Land, & Speed is to keep motorists safe and promote responsible driver behaviors. To prevent and reduce traffic crash fatalities, VSP, Virginia Department of Transportation and Department of Motor Vehicles have issued a Highway Safety Challenge. Take the challenge today and these five following 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.