Tag: Speeding

New W.Va. Speeding Enforcement Campaign Begins Friday

A targeted, high visibility speeding enforcement campaign will begin this Friday and run through the end of July.

A targeted, high visibility speeding enforcement campaign will begin this Friday and run through the end of July. With the number of statewide highway and bridge construction projects increasing throughout the state, Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday that work zone traffic will be a targeted priority. 

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program has teamed up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the effort.  

In 2022, the West Virginia Department of Transportation recorded 800 crashes in work zones across the state that killed eight people and left 276 injured. 

Justice said “If you don’t slow down, you’ll get written up.”

“If you’re absolutely out there and are one of those workers,” Justice said. “And you’ve got somebody coming at 85 or 90 miles an hour, and you’re three feet away from me, how fair is that?”

This campaign follows a recent series of West Virginia work zone safety initiatives, one that began with the paving season, and one that targeted a I-64 work zone project in Cabell County.

Justice said to expect that the latest speeding enforcement campaign would extend into August.

Speeding In A Work Zone Could Cost You

With the number of highway and bridge construction projects accelerating, WVDOT wants to get the message across to drivers: speeding in work zones will not be tolerated.

Drivers who fail to obey the speeding laws in West Virginia, could face hefty penalties.

In 2022, the West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) recorded 800 crashes in work zones across the state that killed eight people and left 276 injured.

With the number of highway and bridge construction projects accelerating, WVDOT wants to get the message across to drivers: speeding in work zones will not be tolerated.

On the first day of enforcement of stepped up patrols this week, along a five mile stretch of I-64 between the Huntington Mall and 29th Street in Huntington, police stopped 120 drivers violating the speed limit and other infractions.

Extra police patrols will also be enforcing the speed limit in work zones along the I-64 route between Charleston and Huntington.

On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice used his weekly briefing to urge drivers to slow down.

“We are adding extra police patrols,” Justice said. “And we’re going to target speeders, we’re gonna write tickets and it’s probably going to be a bad day for a lot of people, but we’ve got to slow down going through the worksite and so please take heed, show some consideration.”

The governor talked about his Roads to Prosperity initiative, pointing out that West Virginia is attracting more visitors who are noticing improvements in the state’s highways. He said that includes maintenance in high risk work zones where a lot of people go to work each day. 

“So please heed this, we need your consideration,” Justice said. “We’ve got these good people coming to work every day, and they deserve, absolutely, the right to be going home every day, too.” 

WVDOT said it will post more signage and speed monitors in work zones where speeding violations can result in $200 in fines and up to 20 days in jail for anyone caught driving 15 miles above the posted speed limit.

Meanwhile, anyone caught violating West Virginia’s distracted driving laws faces fines ranging from $100 to $300 plus court costs and demerit points being applied to their license. 

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