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The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles has recognized several jurisdictions across Virginia that achieved zero traffic deaths in 2019 and/or 2020, including the City of Franklin.

The DMV press release continued by noting that Virginia is an active participant in the national Toward Zero Deaths initiative, which brings together engineering, enforcement, education and emergency medical services professionals to work toward a goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities. The adoption and implementation of the Toward Zero Deaths vision by many highway safety offices across America demonstrates a unified commitment to the effort to transform traffic safety culture.

“The unified approach in Virginia also includes Gov. (Ralph) Northam’s Executive Leadership Team on Highway Safety, a significant increase in highway safety funding and a transition to more effective systemic improvements,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “With our commitment and the dedication of communities across the commonwealth, I believe this milestone is and will continue to be achievable.”

In an effort to change public perception that traffic fatalities are unavoidable, DMV annually recognizes jurisdictions that achieved zero traffic fatalities. This year, jurisdictions achieving this status in 2019 are also included as the pandemic preempted last year’s recognition.

“These jurisdictions have shown us that zero is not impossible, and I am proud to recognize them for their dedication to traffic safety,” said DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb, the governor’s highway safety representative.

The jurisdictions that achieved zero deaths in 2019 only were Alleghany County and the cities of Covington, Harrisonburg and Staunton. The jurisdictions that achieved zero traffic deaths in 2020 only included Highland County and the cities of Colonial Heights, Emporia, Galax, Radford, Salem and Waynesboro. 

The following jurisdictions achieved zero traffic deaths in both 2019 and 2020: Craig County and the cities of Buena Vista, Falls Church, Franklin, Hopewell, Lexington, Manassas Park, Norton and Winchester. 

The jurisdictions that have achieved zero traffic deaths for at least five consecutive years include the cities of Buena Vista, Falls Church, Hopewell, Lexington, Manassas Park and Norton. Finally, the City of Buena Vista achieved zero traffic deaths for 10 consecutive years.

To learn more about Virginia’s goal to achieve zero traffic deaths, visit https://tzdva.org/.