Governor’s Highway Safety Program hosts annual luncheon recognizing law enforcement – WV MetroNews

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.