National Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is coming up November 2-8, 2025 — a crucial time to raise awareness about a silent but deadly danger on our roads. The DMV urges everyone to prioritize rest before hitting the road, because drowsy driving is a form of impaired driving that leads to devastating crashes, injuries, and loss of life.

In 2024 alone, 26 people lost their lives due to drowsy driving, with nearly three-fourths of these tragedies happening in rural areas. This is a serious issue that demands our collective attention.

We invite you to amplify this life-saving message in your community by sharing these valuable resources:

National Sleep Foundation provides campaign products [Drowsy Driving Prevention Tool Kit |National Sleep Foundation]

 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) offers [Drowsy Driving Quiz | FMCSA (dot.gov)] to see if you have fallen victim to this risky behavior on the road.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides additional information [CDC | Drowsy Driving: Asleep at the Wheel] 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers additional resources on Drowsy Driving

Your commitment is vital to keeping our roads safe and saving lives. Together, we can make sure everyone arrives home safely.

Thank you for your ongoing dedication.

DMV Reminds Virginians: Safety is the Real Treat This Halloween
Both Motorists and Pedestrians Urged to Drive and Walk with Care

RICHMOND, Va. — Whether you’re behind the wheel or on foot this Halloween weekend, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is reminding everyone that safety should be the top priority. With plenty of children and families expected to be trick-or-treating, it’s important for both motorists and pedestrians to stay alert and take precautions.

Halloween 2024, which fell on a Thursday, proved to be a busy and dangerous day on Virginia roads. Data shows there were 497 crashes, resulting in four fatalities and 29 serious injuries, on Halloween last year. That’s up from Halloween 2023, which fell on a Tuesday, when 393 crashes were reported, including two fatalities and 29 serious injuries. These numbers highlight why it’s important for everyone to pay attention and make smart choices on this occasion.

“With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, we know many people will be out having fun. Drivers should slow down in neighborhoods, watch for children darting between cars, and eliminate distractions. Families can help too—keep your little ghouls and goblins visible with reflective costumes or flashlights,” said DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative.

To keep everyone safe, DMV encourages the following precautions:

For motorists:

Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.Stay below the posted speed limit and avoid passing other vehicles in residential areas.Watch for children dashing between vehicles.Never drink and drive. If you plan to celebrate with alcohol, arrange a safe ride.

For pedestrians:

Do not assume the right-of-way when crossing the street because drivers may not see you.Stick to the sidewalk whenever possible. If there is no sidewalk, walk beside the road, facing traffic, to increase visibility.Attach reflective tape to costumes or candy bags and give each child a flashlight so drivers can see them.

For more Halloween safety tips, visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/halloween-safety-tips.

We are honored to partner with Yovaso on their #DriveforChange Project! If you haven't checked it out, you need to! Here's the link: https://www.yovaso.org/driveforchange/

By participating in the project your school or youth group gets a box of FREE materials to promote young driver and/or passenger safety! YOVASO also provides a lot of other tips and resources throughout the project to make it easy, engaging, and fun!

Last Thursday we had the opportunity to speak at the required 90-minute Parent Teen Meeting at Dan River High School! More pics to come of our time there on Friday!

We were happy to participate in the B.R.A.K.E.S. Program this past weekend with our friends from Yovaso! This incredible program teaches new teen drivers defensive driving skills and how to be safer, more responsible drivers. The teens loved it! View coverage HERE

It’s never too early to learn about driver and passenger safety!

Last Thursday we visited some of our local elementary schools and got to share with students about the importance of buckling up! We also got to share about our Speed Busters program in partnership with DRIVE SMART Virginia!

Thanks for having us, Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools!

We are so proud of Christy for receiving the 2025 Janet Brooking Award for Highway Safety from Drive Smart Virginia at their Distracted Driving Summit! In Christy’s words, “DRIVE SMART Virginia has been such an inspiration to me and I've learned so much from them and especially Kristin Pettway!”

It was an honor to speak last week in Wytheville at the 2025 Law Enforcement Symposium in partnership with VA Dept. of Motor Vehicles Highway Safety Office. Thank you all for allowing me to share about Christopher and the new #ChristopherKingSeatBeltLaw.