CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) reminds drivers to slow down and obey the speed limit ahead of a statewide high visibility enforcement (HVE) period that will begin with a kickoff enforcement event from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., to be conducted by law enforcement agencies statewide.

The targeted enforcement will continue through Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025.

Each year, thousands of people are injured or killed in speeding-related crashes across America.

In 2023, there were 11,775 fatalities that involved speeding, accounting for 29 percent of that year’s traffic fatalities; 88 percent of those occurred on non-interstate roadways.

Motorcycle riders 21 to 24 years old involved in fatal crashes had the highest speeding involvement, at 51 percent.

Between 2016 and 2020, speed and aggressive driving were factors in 57.2 percent of all West Virginia crashes. In 2023, speed was a factor in 33 percent of all fatal vehicle crashes in the state.

“Speeders don’t just put themselves in danger of serious injuries and death, they put other road users, including passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists, at risk as well,” said Jack McNeely, director of the state Governor’s Highway Safety Program.

“Drivers have a shared responsibility to keep themselves and all road users safe. Obeying the legal speed limits and driving at a speed that is reasonable for road conditions is part of fulfilling that responsibility.”

Speed limits are put in place to reduce crashes and minimize a crash’s impact on the human body.

Set through an engineering process, speed limits are no less important than the vehicle safety technology developed over the last decades.

Even the safest cars with the newest technologies are limited in how much they can help reduce the odds of a crash.

Much like impaired driving, speeding is a selfish choice that has deadly consequences for the driver, vehicle passengers, and others using the road.

Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous object, or an unexpected curve. Faster speeds lead to greater crash impacts and increase the severity of injuries and the likelihood of death in a crash.

“We are asking drivers to please slow down; our goal is to save lives, and we’re putting all drivers on alert,” McNeely said. “The posted speed limit is the law. No excuses.”

Learn more about the dangers of speeding at www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding.

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