ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 1996 TAG: 9603210048
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
RICHMOND - Virginia had the lowest highway fatality rate in 1995 since the state started keeping the statistic in 1966, according to a report by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The state's fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled for 1995 was 1.28, considerably less than the national rate of 1.76, according to a DMV news release.
The fatality rate for the state's highways in 1966, the first year such figures were compiled, was 5.10.
``The decline in Virginia's fatality rate is encouraging,'' said DMV Commissioner Richard D. Holcomb. ``This decrease is due to a number of factors, including safer highways, safer vehicles, increased public awareness and efforts by local and state law enforcement.''
Preliminary crash data show that the number of people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 1995 was 900, a 3 percent decrease from 925 in 1994. - Associated Press Abortion prompts school investigation
WOODBRIDGE - Prince William County school officials say they will review the school system's relationship with the county departments of health and social services following allegations that a social worker arranged for a student's abortion.
The 17-year-old student and her boyfriend claim the social worker called a Washington, D.C., abortion clinic after meeting with the two at Potomac High School.
School policy prohibits teachers and school nurses from counseling students on school property about abortion. It is unclear whether the policy covers social workers.
School officials have completed an investigation of the allegation but have declined to comment on the findings.
``I don't think there's any question that the policy needs clarification,'' Potomac Principal Michael Campbell told The Prince William Journal. ``The only thing I'm positive of is that my staff acted appropriately.'' - Associated Press Hunters' fees pay for refuge tract
VIRGINIA BEACH - A $480,000 contribution from license fees paid by duck hunters will buy a much-desired 286-acre tract for the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
``For us, that tract is coveted,'' refuge manager John P. Stasko said Tuesday. ``It has the highest-ranking priority of our remaining tracts. It's biologically and ecologically significant.''
With the purchase, the refuge will have bought 3,626 acres, more than half of the 6,340 acres targeted for eventual conservation. The goal is to protect fragile wildlife habitat and wetlands and to prevent further degradation of the water quality in Back Bay.
The money came from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, a government agency that distributes revenue from the sale of duck stamps - required of all duck hunters - and admission fees to refuges. The commission previously had given the refuge a total of $3 million to buy land. - Associated Press Lineman's error cited in fatal fire
CHESAPEAKE - A store blaze that killed two firefighters Monday was caused by a utility worker who accidentally snagged an overhead power line with a boom on his truck he'd forgotten to secure, investigators said.
The Virginia Power serviceman had gone to a shopping center to disconnect power to a business. The unidentified worker was midway through the job, working in the boom on some high wires, when he received word the power should be left on.
The serviceman got back into the truck and started to drive away without securing the boom, fire officials said. The wires did not break, but the worker saw a flash and he quickly disconnected power to the all of the shopping center, including the Advance Auto Parts store where the firemen died.
``By then it was too late,'' said Division Chief Thomas Cooke of the Chesapeake Fire Department. ``There was a short circuit, and every power line inside Advanced Auto Parts lit up. It was an accident. I'm not trying to excuse it, but it was one of those things that happen.'' - Associated Press
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