RICHMOND, Va. — Memorial Day is the unofficial kick off to the summer. Virginia State Police and Mid-Atlantic AAA want to ensure travelers out on the roads are safe this holiday weekend. Richmond was recently named ‘most popular American city to visit this summer,‘ which could lead to an influx of travelers this holiday season.
Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Vick, said 75 percent of the force would be out on the highways over the three-day weekend. He reminded drivers to move over when they see a trooper pulled over on the highway. State Police also plan to be on the look out for drivers who are not paying attention, and those who get behind the wheel after drinking.
“We are stressing drunk driving and distracted driving,” Sgt. Vick said. “We are seeing a rise in distracted driving, fatalities and accidents. We are going to aggressively looking for distracted drivers as well as people driving under the influence of alcohol.”
Driver should not only be aware of police, but also cyclists. Martha Meade, the Manager of Public and Government Affairs for the AAA Mid-Atlantic, said there are many laws that are intended to keep cyclist safe.
“[The laws] change from year to year. Cyclists and drivers are not always aware of what they [the laws] are. A couple of them are the three foot rule, so if you’re driving a vehicle and you’re passing a bicycle, you must allow a three foot gap between you and the cyclist.”
Meade, added it was illegal for cyclists to ride with headphones in both of their ears. She suggested cyclists always keep a light on the front of them and behind them while riding.
