ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)—With the weekend before the holidays upon us, stores and roads will be packed.
The weekend before Christmas is always a busy time for travelers, and state police will be keeping close watch, especially for drivers who’ve been drinking.
“We’re in the midst of our Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign,” Matthew Demlein, the spokesperson for Virginia State Police, said. “We will be out on the roads, you can expect to see us, we’ll have increased visibility out on the roads, and you can expect to see us out there making sure everyone gets to their destination safely.”
The commonwealth had nearly 300 deadly crashes tied to alcohol over the course of 2023. Virginia State Police wants that number to come way down.
Distracted driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving, according to police.
“If you’re going to be driving, make sure that’s your only focus, is driving,” Demlein said. “Don’t be looking at your phone, don’t be playing with the radio, don’t be talking to other people, or looking in the back seat to talk to other people.”
This is also a stressful time for last minute shoppers.
However, there are plenty of places in downtown Roanoke that should have what you need.
“Some customers come in and they’re a little stressed, because Christmas can be stressful for some people, but that’s where we come in,” Katy Newberry, the owner of Gypsie Palooza and Artsy June in downtown Roanoke, said. “What do you need, who are you shopping for, and we hope they leave a little less stressed.”
Newberry has worked the past 12 holiday rushes, and it’s something she absolutely loves doing.
“Each year gets better and better,” she said. “Downtown Roanoke, it reminds me of a snow globe, or a Hallmark movie down here.”
While there are some holiday sales on now at stores big and small, expect bigger deals to come in the week between Christmas and the New Year.