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West Virginia

June 2009


Aggressive Driving Laws
None
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Cell Phone Driving Laws

Handheld Ban

All Cell Phone Ban

Text Messaging Ban

Enforcement

Crash
Data
Collected

Pre-
emption
Law

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers

All Drivers

School Bus Drivers

Novice Drivers

 

 

Learner or Intermediate Stage

 

  

Learner or Intermediate Stage

Primary

 

 
Sources: American Automobile Association (AAA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Child Passenger Safety Laws

Child Restraint Required
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Adult seat belt Permissible
unless indicated, # refers to Yrs.(Lbs.)

Maximum Fine
First Offense

<7 (and <4'9")

<7 (and >4'9)

$20
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Drug Impaired Driving Laws
None

Source: State Highway Safety Offices.

Drunk Driving Laws

Admin. License
Suspension on
First Offense

Limited Driving Privileges During Suspension

Increased Penalties for High Blood Alc. Concen-
tration (BAC)

Open Container Laws

Repeat Offender Laws

Vehicle and License
Plate
Sanctions

Ignition Inter-
locks

Alcohol Exclusion Laws Limiting Treatment Opportunity

6 months

After 30 days

.15

 

Yes

 

Mandatory for
> .15 BAC conviction

Yes
Sources: Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

Learner Stage

Intermediate Stage

Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis)

Min.
Age
(Yrs./
Mos.)

Min.
Duration
(Mos.)

Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Nighttime Driving Restriction

Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members
exempt)

15

6

16

11 p.m. - 5 a.m.

No more than 3 pass. <19

17

30
(0 w/ driver's ed.)

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), American Automobile Association (AAA) and State Highway .

Helmet Laws

Motorcyclists

Bicyclists

All Helmet Law

Partial Law

All Helmet Law Repealed

1971

 

  

<15
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Mature Driver Laws

Length of Regular Renewal Cycle (Yrs.)

Provisions for Mature Drivers

5

 
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Seat Belt Laws

Type of Law

Who is Covered
(Yrs.)

In What Seat

Maximum Fine
First Offense
Secondary

8-17

All

 $25
>18 Front
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Segway Laws

Permitted on Sidewalks/Bicycle Paths

Permitted on Roads

Helmets Required

Minimum Age

Pedestrian Laws Apply

Sidewalks

Yes

 

 

Yes
Sources: Segway LLC and State Highway Safety Offices.
Sobriety Checkpoint Laws

Checkpoints Conducted?

Comments

Yes

Conducted weekly

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed Limit Laws

Rural Interstates

Urban Interstates

Other Limited Access Roads

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

Cars
(mph)

Trucks
(mph)

70 70 55 55 65 65

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Speed and Red Light Cameras
Prohibited
Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.
Work Zone Speed Limit Laws

Multiple of Original Fine

Violations Affected

Workers Must Be Present

Not more than $200 or 20 days in jail or both

Speeding 15 or more mph over the speed limit

Yes

Sources: National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse and State Highway Safety Offices.