APPOMATTOX, Va. — Virginia State Police are aiming to disrupt dangerous driving behaviors along Interstate 81. Troopers are staged and staffed across the highway Tuesday and Wednesday.
The initiative focuses on distracted driving, impaired driving, speed compliance and seat belt safety.
“As we start to approach the end of the school year, we want to make sure the roads are as safe as possible,” said Captain Patrick L. Kirtner, Commander of the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division. “Initiatives like ‘DISS-rupt’ are aimed at getting Virginians back to the basics about traffic safety: making sure they are driving sober, driving safely, buckling up, and focusing on the task ahead.”
Virginia has a hands-free law that prohibits drivers from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving.
A September 2025 report from the Governor's Highway Safety Association found drivers who use their phone frequently while driving are 240% more likely to crash.
Virginia State Police reported a decrease in traffic fatalities between January and April 15 of this year compared to the prior year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fewer people are driving while on their phones in recent years.
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