Fairfax County police officers issued almost 5,700 citations and warnings during the first phase of their year-long “Road Shark” safety campaign, the department announced this morning (Wednesday).
A collaboration with the Virginia State Police, the initiative aims to crack down on aggressive and unsafe driving by increasing patrols in high-crash areas and promoting education about traffic laws and responsible driving behavior.
“Our dedicated officers and Virginia State Troopers play a pivotal role in the effectiveness of this campaign aimed at curbing the presence of reckless drivers in Fairfax County,” the Fairfax County Police Department said.
The first wave of this year’s campaign took place during the week of March 17-23. Some drivers were caught speeding over 100 mph, including in a 35-mph zone in at least one case, according to the FCPD.
The 5,695 warnings and citations issued exceeded the 3,786 violations recorded in the first wave of last year’s “Road Shark” campaign, which launched around the same time in response to a surge of pedestrian fatalities in 2022.
Like last year’s effort, the 2024 campaign will consist of four week-long waves. The second one will begin on April 22, the FCPD says.
Photo via FCPD
