Gov. Northam: April is Highway Safety Month in Virginia (FILE) (Source: WAFB) By WHSV Newsroom | April 23, 2021 at 11:47 AM EDT - Updated April 23 at 11:47 AM RICHMOND, Va. (WHSV) â On Friday, April 23, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared the month of April to be Highway Safety Month in the commonwealth, and heâs urging all Virginians to help prevent injuries and fatalities on the road. One purpose of this Highway Safety Month is to emphasize the importance of wearing a seat belt, which Northam says can help in reducing the number of unrestrained crashes and saving lives. The governor says in 2020, even with a decline in traffic volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 343 people who were not wearing seat belts were killed in crashes on Virginia roadway. This is a 13% increase compared to 2019.