Safety Urged During Holiday Season in Virginia

Several groups, businesses and state leaders in Virginia are kicking off efforts to prevent drunken driving this holiday season.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Nationwide Insurance and AAA Mid-Atlantic were joined by Attorney General Mark Herring and Virginia State Police Superintendent Col. Steven Flaherty on Thursday to discuss the issue.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 1,000 people were killed in drunken driving crashes nationwide between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve in 2012 — the most recent year for national data. New Year’s Day is the deadliest day of the year for drunken driving on roadways. A total of 140 people were killed by drunken driving crashes during the holiday that year.

Officials remind Virginians to have a designated driver if they’re planning to drink during the holiday season.