VSP Responds to Sandy Related incidents Across State - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

Press Release
Virginia State Police

VSP RESPONDS TO THOUSANDS OF STORM-RELATED INCIDENTS

RICHMOND – Virginia State Police troopers and dispatchers have fielded 5,098 calls for service as a
result of the high winds, heavy rains, and snowfall associated with the Hurricane Sandy storm system.

Statewide between 12:01 a.m. Sunday (Oct. 28, 2012) and 10 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 30, 2012), Virginia troopers responded to 583 traffic crashes and 690 disabled vehicles. The majority of the storm-related crashes occurred in the Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Southside, and Northern Virginia regions. At the height of the storm Monday, state police were fielding 155 calls for service per hour.

The following is a breakdown of calls for service by Virginia State Police from 12:01 a.m. Sunday (Oct. 28) through 10 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 30):

• Division I–Richmond (Metro Richmond/Northern Neck/Tri-Cities)
  • Traffic Crashes= 89
  • Disabled Vehicles=127
  • Total Calls for Service=732
• Division II–Culpeper (Fredericksburg/Culpeper/Warrenton/Harrisonburg/Winchester)
  • Traffic Crashes=82
  • Disabled Vehicles=95
  • Total Calls for Service=666
• Division III-Appomattox (Charlottesville / Waynesboro/ Staunton/Lynchburg/South Boston/ South Hill)
  • Traffic Crashes=63
  • Disabled Vehicles=39
  • Total Calls for Service=537
• Division IV-Wytheville (Wytheville/Dublin/Galax/Bristol/Vansant/Wise)
  • Traffic Crashes=67
  • Disabled Vehicles=66
  • Total Calls for Service=617
• Division V-Chesapeake (Hampton Roads/Tidewater/Eastern Shore/ Williamsburg/ Franklin/ Emporia)
  • Traffic Crashes=111
    Disabled Vehicles=172
    Total Calls for Service=936
• Division VI-Salem (Lexington/Clifton Forge/Roanoke/Blacksburg/Bedford/Martinsville/Danville)
  • Traffic Crashes=89
  • Disabled Vehicles=66
  • Total Calls for Service=609
• Division VII-Fairfax (Prince William/Loudoun/Arlington/Alexandria/Fairfax)
  • Traffic Crashes=82
  • Disabled Vehicles=125
  • Total Calls for Service=1,001

With continuing rainfall in eastern, central and northern Virginia, and snowfall in the western and
southwestern regions, road conditions remain treacherous. If you do have to travel, drivers are advised
to…
• Add extra time to reach travel destination
• Headlights must be used when windshield wipers are activated
• Slow speed for road conditions
• Increase driving distances between vehicles
• Buckle up and don't drive distracted
• Treat intersections without working lights as a four-way stop
• Call 511 for road conditions – not 911 or #77, as these are for emergency calls only