November 13th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
In a coordinated effort to increase safety for the West Virginia traveling public, the West Virginia Parkways Authority, the Public Service Commission and the West Virginia State Police today announced they will dedicate an additional full time PSC patrol unit to perform safety inspections and issue citations to drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) for speeding and defective equipment on the West Virginia Turnpike. The Parkways Authority will be responsible for the salary and cost of the vehicle used by the new patrol unit. The officer will be certified and trained by the Transportation Division of the Public Service Commission. The State Police oversee law enforcement along the Turnpike. The additional officer is expected to be in place within the next few weeks, in advance of the increased holiday traffic.
In recent years, there has been a marked increase in accidents involving large trucks. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, crashes involving large trucks have increased from 327,000 in 2013 to 475,000 in 2016. West Virginia numbers similarly show a dramatic increase. In 2013, there were 58 accidents involving CMVs resulting in 34 injuries and one fatality. In 2017, there were 120 accidents involving CMVs resulting in 71 injuries and nine fatalities.
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