Governors Highway Safety Program Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Travelers Reminded To Buckle Up During Holiday Travel

As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, state officials are advising travelers on state roads to keep safety in mind.

Around 600,000 vehicles are expected to travel on the West Virginia Turnpike Thursday through Monday.

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program reminds drivers and passengers to buckle their seat belt during the Click It or Ticket high visibility enforcement campaign and every day of the year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s national seat belt enforcement mobilization runs through June 4.

In 2021, 280 people lost their lives on West Virginia roads. Passenger vehicle fatalities totaled 184 people, with 74 of them confirmed as being unbuckled/unrestrained.

West Virginia’s seat belt use rate climbed to 92.5 percent in 2022, the highest use rate recorded in West Virginia.

At the current seat belt use rate, preliminary data shows unbuckled West Virginians are 18.21 times more likely to die in a crash than those who are properly restrained.

Motorists Encouraged To Be Mindful Of Motorcycle Safety

With warmer weather just around the corner, state officials are raising awareness around motorcycle safety.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of the summer road travel season, and the Governor’s Highway Safety Program is emphasizing that “Motorcycle Safety is Everyone’s Safety”.

Unfortunately, data shows that motorcyclists are overrepresented in traffic crashes and fatalities.

In 2020, 38 motorcyclists were killed in crashes on West Virginia roads, accounting for 14 percent of all statewide traffic fatalities that year.

Safe driving and riding practices from all road users — drivers and riders alike — help reduce the number of crashes, fatalities, and injuries on our highways.

Drivers and riders alike are encouraged to drive and ride alcohol- and drug-free and to obey the speed limit.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol impairment was a factor in 41 percent of fatal motorcycle collisions in 2020, while excessive speed was a factor in 34 percent.

Drivers are encouraged to allow more follow distance when behind a motorcycle, while riders are reminded to wear protective gear. NHTSA estimates that helmets saved the lives of 1,872 motorcyclists in 2017.

For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.

State Officials Recognize National School Bus Safety Week

This week is National School Bus Safety Week and the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program is reminding drivers and pedestrians about the state’s school bus laws.

The program is specifically focusing on the illegal passing of school buses while the stop-arm is extended, signaling that children are entering or exiting. Drivers should come to a complete stop until the arm is retracted and the bus begins to move.

The area where children are entering or leaving buses is called the “danger zone,” which can be 10 feet in front of the bus, 10 feet outside either side of the bus or anywhere behind the school bus.

Aimee Cantrell of the Highway Safety Program said it’s part of the program’s goal to reduce the number of incidents on West Virginia roadways.

“Not to be cliche, but school buses are transporting one of our most precious natural resources, right, our kids,” Cantrell said. “That’s why, as motorists, it’s our responsibility to just kind of keep an extra eye out, extra caution.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports 183 pedestrian deaths and 112 deaths of occupants in school-transportation-related crashes from 2011 to 2020, with 21 percent of school-age pedestrians killed in school-transportation-related crashes struck by vehicles moving straight.

However, school buses are statistically one of the safest vehicles on the road for children, accounting for less than one percent of all traffic fatalities.

Cantrell says recognizing school bus safety is also important for pedestrians.

“We would encourage any bus rider to arrive at the bus stop five minutes early, to take at least five giant steps away from the edge of the road and wait until the bus stops, the door opens and the driver says it’s okay before stepping onto the bus,” Cantrell said.

The annual observation coincides with a bus crash in Mingo County, when it collided with a truck on the King Coal Highway around 7 a.m. Tuesday morning. It hospitalized seven students and killed the truck driver.

More resources about school bus safety can be found at the NHTSA’s website.

Data Indicates Increase In W.Va. Roadway Deaths

Highway deaths increased by 10 percent nationwide in 2021 compared to a year earlier. Preliminary data shows roadway fatalities in West Virginia are following a similar trend.

Data from the West Virginia Department of Transportation shows highway fatalities in West Virginia increased by five percent in 2021. Though the statistic is considered raw data until confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this fall, it indicates an increase in roadway deaths that is consistent with the rest of the country.

In an email to WVPB, West Virginia Department of Transportation director Jennifer Dooley says the biggest increase in fatalities involved collisions with pedestrians. The department says it is planning on focusing resources to prevent further crashes with its Strategic Highway Safety Plan over the next five years.

Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) representative Aimee Cantrell says behavioral trends during COVID-19 may explain this increase. Speeding incidents rose during the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, when there was a lower amount of traffic.

“That sometimes gives people this sense that it’s okay to drive distracted or to drive faster than the posted speed limit, or a couple of other things that really are never true,” Cantrell said.

Cantrell reminds drivers to remember the basics of driving and practice safety measures to either prevent or lessen the impact of a crash. These measures include proper seat belt usage, no cell phone usage while driving, and remaining parked and off the road while putting information into a GPS.

Though the number has increased within the past year, West Virginia has seen a downward trend in fatalities over the past decade. Highway deaths have decreased by more than 15 percent since 2011. Cantrell credits this trend to West Virginia’s seat belt law, which was made a primary offense in 2013.

“We have consistently been trending downward in those fatalities, which is a great thing,” Cantrell said. “It is our mission and goal to decrease injuries and fatalities due to crashes. Our ultimate target is zero deaths on our roads, so that takes the cooperation of all drivers and road users.”

The GHSP is currently working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign this Memorial Day season to remind drivers to wear their seatbelts.

State Police to Increase DUI Patrols

West Virginia State Police will be on the lookout more often for drunken and impaired drivers.State Police say in a news release that grant money through…

West Virginia State Police will be on the lookout more often for drunken and impaired drivers.

State Police say in a news release that grant money through a partnership with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program will enable troopers to increase DUI patrols late this summer and in the early fall.

The release says the increased patrols will be in the area of events such as high school and college athletic contests, and fairs and festivals.

State Police spokesman Lt. Michael Baylous says such events routinely result in a higher number of vehicles on the roadways.

State Police: Traffic Fatalities Decline in 2015

The West Virginia State Police say traffic fatalities in the state continued to decline in 2015.State Police tell WVVA-TV that roadway deaths are down…

The West Virginia State Police say traffic fatalities in the state continued to decline in 2015.

State Police tell WVVA-TV that roadway deaths are down from 337 killed in 2012 to 270 in 2015. Troopers with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program attribute the decline to an increase in targeted patrols across the state.

Trooper J.R. Tupper, a drug recognition expert who is part of the safety program, says he believes drivers are increasingly paying more attention to the road.

Lt. Michael Baylous says the State Police rely heavily on grants from the Governor’s Highway Safety Program in order to address highway concerns across the state.