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The Governor's Highway Safety Program (GHSP), a
section of the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles has
developed a comprehensive problem based Highway Safety Plan
(HSP). The Governor's Highway Safety Program faces
considerable challenges in 2005. The development of the FY05
Highway Safety Plan sets the priorities and goals for the
upcoming year.
FY2004 proved to be successful, the GHSP
decided to focus on the basics and exert more direct
involvement in the various activities and priorities. The
priorities for 2005 will remain the same, Occupant Protection,
Impaired Driving, Youth Alcohol Issues, Traffic Records and
the coordination of law enforcement, state, community and
private sector efforts to reach the goals set forth by the
GHSP.
Over the last four years the Governors Highway
Safety Program along with our Highway Safety partners and
advocates has worked hard to raise West Virginia’s Seat Belt
Usage rate from 49.5 percent in 2000 to the current rate of 76
percent. This increase is a direct result of the "Click It or
Ticket Law Enforcement Challenge" in conjunction with paid
media. With over two thirds of West Virginia's Law Enforcement
Agencies participating. The GHSP Law Enforcement Liaison
Office has been instrumental in gaining and maintaining law
enforcement agencies interest in the program. The non use or
misuse of child passenger safety devices continues to be
around 90 percent (observations at Child Passenger Safety
events) in 2004. Additionally a “High School Seat Belt
Challenge” project was conducted in West Virginia high schools
which targeted the 15-18 age groups. The Highway Safety
Office has also broadened its focus to the 4-15 age groups.
Impaired Driving has become an ever increasing
problem with 37 percent of 2002 motor vehicle fatalities being
alcohol related. The vast majority of those were single
vehicle, run off the roadway, and night time fatalities.
The Governor's Highway Safety Program's Law
Enforcement Liaison Office has been expanded to take a broader
role in not only Occupant Protection activities, but Impaired
Driving and other focus areas. The GHSP facilitated an initial
meeting of a statewide DUI Taskforce. This group formulated a
year long sustained Impaired Driving Enforcement Plan, which
includes the participation of State Police, local law
enforcement agencies, GHSP, Regional Traffic Safety Programs,
advocate groups and other state and community agencies.
West Virginia will also participate in the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA)
Mid-Atlantic Region's "Checkpoint Strikeforce." This effort
emphasis is on high visibility enforcement with both paid and
earned media.
The GHSP Law Enforcement Liaison program will
take the lead in law enforcement training and organizing law
enforcement activities. The GHSP will continue to support law
enforcement efforts and maintain supervision of the activities
and focus.
West Virginia receives grant funding from NHTSA
to combat the challenges highlighted above. These funds are
allocated through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (TEA-21). West Virginia receives various incentive and
innovative grant awards along with the general 402
appropriations. Funding will enable West Virginia to provide
additional training and education for law enforcement, highway
safety advocates, and the general public regarding the
aforementioned highway safety issues. Funding will allow
continuing progress toward a real time traffic records data
base. The West Virginia GHSP was awarded a Traffic Records
grant and the position of Traffic Records Coordinator was
filled in November 2003. Progress is being made toward the
goals of the Strategic Traffic Records Plan formulated in
November 2001.
West Virginia will continue to fund traffic
safety initiatives through eight Regional Traffic Safety
Programs located throughout West Virginia covering all fifty
five counties. The Highway Safety Program will continue to
work diligently to support and promote efforts to upgrade
occupant protection, impaired driving, and other laws that
promote safer highways in West Virginia.
The HSP outlines the West Virginia Governor's
Highway Safety Program’s goals and objectives, and details the
activities which the State's FY Section 402 funds may be used.
Applicants for section 402 funds (i.e. city, county, and state
agencies) must clearly identify a highway safety problem and
support it with evidence. The applicants must identify and
define measurable objectives and activities that will impact
the problem identified. All proposals must be in line with the
goals and objectives set forth in this year’s HSP.
Additionally, the Highway Safety Program is open to new and
creative ideas for projects and activities that will reduce
motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the State.
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