Virginia drivers navigate new seat belt law, express lanes during Thanksgiving week
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Travelers will experience significant changes when moving around Virginia this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the busiest times of the year, including a new seat belt law and the opening of new express lanes.
The measures come as Virginia ramps up for the expected increase in traffic, which is also being driven by travelers avoiding air travel as the federal government cuts back on flights due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
An additional 1.6 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday period between Nov. 25-Dec. 1, compared to the previous record of 80.2 million, according to AAA.
Buckle up before taking off
Last March, Virginia passed a new traffic law requiring all passengers, whether in the front or back seats of the vehicle, to be properly buckled up. The previous law only required adults to wear seat belts when occupying the front seat, which contributed to Virginia raking the worst in the nation for seat belt use in 2023 with just 73.2% of residents buckling up, far below the national average of 91.9%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“We are literally the worst at wearing our seat belts,” said Christy King, a Virginian resident, on a recent episode of the Responder Safety podcast. King advocated for the law change last January, following the death of her son, Christopher, in a car crash.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles advises rideshare drivers and passengers to comply, as well.
Last year, five of the eight people who died in crashes during the holiday period were not wearing a seatbelt. Virginia also recorded 768 traffic-related injuries in the same time frame. The new law follows the annual nationwide Click It or Ticket campaign, which raises awareness about seat belt use.
“Whether you’re traveling across the commonwealth to visit family or just heading down the street, remember that everyone wants to make it home safely for the holidays,” said DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey, the governor’s highway safety representative, in a statement. “Be patient, be courteous, and buckle up. The best gift you can give your loved ones is your safe arrival.”
Express lanes, closures
On Friday, the 2.5-mile extension of the Interstate 495 Express Lanes in Northern Virginia opened, which officials say will ease congestion in the area. The new lanes have already created some concern about the possible bottleneck the traffic would create going into Maryland.
The extension starts near the Dulles Corridor Interchange and terminates just before the American Legion Bridge, and includes new connecting ramps. The extension also includes new bridges carrying sidewalks and a shared-use trail parallel to Interstate 495, upgraded noise walls to protect nearby neighborhoods, and express bus service connecting Virginia to Maryland via the American Legion Bridge.
The extension is part of the $660 million 495 NEXT project between Virginia and Transurban, private partner and operator of the existing I-95, I-395 and I-495 Express Lanes. Construction began in March 2022. Final completion is expected to occur mid-2026.
Beginning Wednesday at noon, the Virginia Department of Transportation will suspend many highway work zones and lift temporary lane closures on interstates and other major roadways statewide until noon on Dec. 1. The transportation agency said motorists may encounter semi-permanent work zones.
Travelers can check VDOT’s list of travel advisories for notices around the commonwealth.
Express-lane directionality on Interstates 95 and 395 will be adjusted for holiday traffic, providing a cost benefit for motorists. On Thanksgiving, the lanes will operate southbound all day.
Drivers with three or more people in the car and an E-ZPass Flex set to “HOV ON” can ride for free.
Travelers who need to cross bodies of water between the Hampton Roads Peninsula and Southside during construction of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project are encouraged to use alternate routes such as the I-664 Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel, the Route 17 James River Bridge, the free Jamestown-Scotland Ferry or I-95 to minimize potential delays.
Motorists using Route 17’s George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge should expect delays between 45 and 60 minutes due to mechanical issues. No work requiring lane closures will be conducted at any of the water crossings during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com.
