Prince William County Kicks Off Traffic Awareness Month with DMV Safety Campaign

Prince William County officially kicked off Traffic Awareness Month on Friday by partnering with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to promote safe driving through a dramatic visual display highlighting the dangers of speeding.  

The kickoff event occurred at the Prince William County Fairgrounds, where the DMV displayed a 54-foot ladder over the weekend to illustrate the potentially life-threatening effects of car crashes. The impact from a 54-foot drop is equivalent to being hit by car traveling at just 40 mph. By comparison, a car traveling at 10 mph would be equivalent to falling three feet.  

The ladder featured safety messages reminding motorists that “Speed limits are there for a reason” and “Follow them in school zones and everywhere.”  

Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large, Deshundra Jefferson, presented a certificate to Saundra M. Jack, the Virginia DMV Commissioner, proclaiming August 2026 as Traffic Awareness Month in Prince William County.   

"The message is simple," Jefferson said. "Being traffic-aware saves lives. It is a shared responsibility for everyone who uses our roadways, and that includes drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike. This is why the Board of County Supervisors proclaimed August as Traffic Awareness Month. We know that during the summer months, our roads are especially busy with more motorists, pedestrians and cyclists traveling throughout our community. This is an important opportunity to reinforce simple safety practices that can prevent minor crashes and life-changing traffic tragedies." 

Jack said DMV reported nearly 9,400 speed-related crashes in Virginia in the first six months of 2026. Of those, 544 happened in Prince William County. Five of the people in those accidents never made it home and 33 were seriously injured. 

“Behind every one of those numbers, [is] not just a statistic,” Jack said. "It's a family, a friend, a coworker, a neighbor whose life changed in an instant. I am a mother and a wife and a daughter, and I cannot imagine what it would be like to get that phone call that someone I love is never coming home because of a decision that lasted only a few seconds. Give yourself a little more time, wear your seat belt, put your cell phone down and make choices that protect you and everyone on the road with you." 

DMV Highway Safety Office Director Brandy Brubaker said the ladder has traveled throughout Virginia this year, including stops in Norfolk, Richmond and Prince William County. 

"This ladder has a message," Brubaker said. "Speed has an impact, and we're grateful to be here today at the Prince William County Fair to display this for everyone who wants to take a look and learn a little more about the impacts of speed. It's a message that's impossible to ignore, and that's exactly why we're here. It's designed to make us stop, look up and think about the consequences of speeding from a completely different perspective.” 

Prince William County Police Department Deputy Chief Lt. Col. Kimberly Missouri said speeding affects everyone who shares the road. While officers will continue enforcing traffic laws, she said meaningful change depends on drivers making safe choices every time they get behind the wheel. 

"Together we can make our roads safer for our family, friends and neighbors," Missouri said. "Slow down. Eliminate distractions. Obey traffic laws and remember that arriving safely is always more important than arriving a few minutes sooner." 

The takeaway message for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists is to practice safe behaviors by obeying traffic laws, eliminating distractions and making choices that help protect everyone on the road. 

Visit the county's YouTube channel to watch the Buzz video recapping Friday's Traffic Awareness Month kickoff event.