CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Law enforcement who keep West Virginia roadways safe were honored Thursday in the Capital City.

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) hosted the annual Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Awards Luncheon at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center to highlight over 100 law enforcement agencies and officers from across the state for their work.

GHSP Director Jack McNeely says the program covers the nearly 39,000 miles of public roadways in West Virginia, and it aims to reduce crashes, serious injuries, and fatalities. It was very important to recognize the law enforcement during the luncheon, McNeely said.

“For their efforts while enforcing against impaired driving, distracted driving, seatbelt use, and while they’re on the Governor’s Highway Safety Program time,” McNeely said. “Our program, we change behaviors. Our goal is to change behaviors or drivers. We do that through engagement, education and enforcement.”

A particularly susceptible group to roadway accidents is young drivers. McNeely said the number one cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds is car crashes. He said part of it is inexperience, and so education plays a key role.

McNeely mentioned the GHSP funds some projects through the Driver’s Education Program in West Virginia, as well as the Drive to Save Lives program, which spreads information about factors that cause crashes.

McNeely said 30-year motivational speaker Cara Filler spoke with the GHSP last week, and she has particular insight into the dangers of speed-related crashes. McNeely said Filler’s twin sister was killed one day after her 18th birthday in a speed-related crash. Filler has reached two million people in five countries during her time as motivational speaker.

There were special guests at the luncheon. Boone County couple Jimmy and Zelda Craig, whose daughter Baylea Bower was killed by an impaired driver during Easter weekend last year, were present in the Capital City. McNeely mentioned House Bill 4712, named “Baylea’s Law” after Bower, which was passed earlier this year.

“Baylea’s Law” stiffened penalties for those charged with DUI causing death.

“We refer to them as crashes, because it’s a choice for someone to get behind a wheel impaired, whether by alcohol or drugs,” McNeely said. “It’s a choice for someone to speed. In that [Baylea Bower] particular case, we had speed, we had impairment, both alcohol and drug related. It’s a choice to pick up your phone and look at it while you’re driving down the road. It’s a choice not to put to buckle up your seatbelt.”

There’s no excuse for driving impaired, McNeely said. He implored people to always have a backup plan if they become intoxicated under alcohol or drugs.

“It’s important to have somebody, if you’re going out, whether a college town, whether you’re in Huntington, whether you’re in Morgantown, but if you know you’re going to be around that, have a designated driver,” McNeely said. “That’s the only thing I can say. Have a game plan, not only if you’re going to be the one drinking, but have a game plan if you’re going to be the one that’s not, and going to be the responsible one for that evening. Take those keys away.”

Another initiative with the GHSP has been impaired-driving checkpoints. McNeely said those checkpoints are more of an awareness program, the blue lights remind drivers to travel safely. He said it helps keep impaired drivers off the road.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program reported 1,873 DUI arrests in the state of West Virginia in 2025. The GHSP cited 23% of the state’s vehicle deaths over the past five years as alcohol related.

A few post-election observations:

–This election saw an historic divide within the state’s Republican Party, with candidates endorsed and funded by Governor Morrisey and related PACS vs. Senator Tom Takubo’s slate.  In Kanawha County, Takubo survived withering and well-financed attacks to win re-nomination, as did Senator Vince Deeds in Greenbrier County. However, as our Brad McElhinny reported, “Morrisey’s endorsements and associated spending touched enough winners that the governor still could have significant influence on the chamber going into the next regular session.”

–The Morrisey vs. Takubo state senate slates ended up being a push. Morrisey is claiming victory, but at what cost? The Morrisey side outspent Takubo’s fundraisers four to one but ended up with status quo in the Senate. That means the internal dealing begins now to determine who will lead the Senate in the next session.

–West Virginians living in competitive districts were deluged with negative ads. Many crossed the line from being mean-spirited to simply inaccurate. There is always debate about the effectiveness of negative ads, but we don’t see any letup. More recent research suggests the conventional wisdom that negative ads depress turnout may not be accurate, but they certainly did not help turnout in this election.

–Most West Virginia voters stayed home. The Secretary of State’s office reports turnout at 21 percent (20.91 to be exact). That is slightly less than the last off-year primary in 2022, when the turnout was 23 percent, and well below the 2018 turnout of 26 percent.

–The statewide court races, which were open to Democrats, Republicans and Independents, turned into a brutal night for incumbents. Two Supreme Court office holders and the Intermediate Court of Appeals incumbent all lost. MetroNews Talkline co-host T.J. Meadows speculates that independent voters, who were blocked from voting in the GOP primary, joined Democrats in throwing out the judicial office holders.

–It was also a rough night for a handful of Republican House of Delegates members. At least 14 lost their re-nomination races.

–Yes, every vote does count, especially in the small single-member House districts, when there is a light voter turnout. Unofficial results on the Republican side show that in the 74th district, incumbent Guy Ward won by 17 votes. Paul Howe finished with a 15 vote advantage in the 70th. Justin Beanard won by five votes in the 10th, Tim McNeely won by four votes in the 71st, and Aaron Holley finished two votes ahead in the 22nd.

–Getting out the vote in your home county makes a difference in a statewide race with low turnout. Rachel Fetty Anderson won the race for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate over four other candidates, including former state Senate President and one-time gubernatorial candidate Jeff Kessler.  Anderson received 3,900 more votes than Kessler in her home county of Monongalia, while Kessler received fewer than 1,400 more votes than Anderson in his home Ohio County. Anderson’s win may also signal Democrats are more interested in new faces than giving another shot to a veteran pol.

–And finally, another West Virginia county has gone Republican. The Monongalia County Republican Executive Committee says GOP registration has now surpassed the Democratic Party 22,670 to 22,468. Democrats have the advantage in registration in just four counties—Boone, Logan, McDowell, Mingo—and Boone is just 41 registrations away from flipping.