HALIFAX COUNTY, Va. – Virginia State Police ran a targeted enforcement effort Tuesday on Route 360 in Central and Southside Virginia.
The effort ran from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and covered Route 360 from Amelia County all the way to South Boston in Halifax County, where it meets with Route 58.
This comes in response to troubling trends revealed in crash statistics. According to data compiled by the Virginia State Police, within three years, there were 311 crashes along the approximately 83-mile stretch of Route 360, eight of which were fatal. Notably, three of these fatal crashes occurred on a Tuesday, the same day as the enforcement effort. Additionally, 189 crashes resulted in injuries.
“It all boils down to Tuesday is statistically appearing to be the more hazardous day for motorists on the 360 corridor,” said 1st Sgt. Christopher Owen. “So that’s why we want to focus our efforts on Tuesday.”
State troopers have also identified speeding as an issue along Route 360, with speed being a factor in 52 crashes, three of which were fatal. A lack of seat belt use was a factor in 42 injuries from crashes and four fatalities.
Owen told 10 News he hopes the extra visibility of troopers sends a message to drivers.
“It’s voluntary compliance. They’ve seen us out here, in numbers,” he said. “If you’re traveling from Richmond to South Boston and you’ve seen troopers ... and you make that decision ‘well, today’s not the day to speed. Today might not be the day you’re not involved in that accident.”
Virginia State Police previously partnered with other law enforcement agencies last May to do targeted enforcement along Route 58 from Emporia to Danville. There was also an enforcement effort last August along Route 460 from Petersburg to Christiansburg.
