CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Authorities say three people have died in wrecks since construction on part of Interstate 64 in West Virginia began last month.
News outlets report Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday tasked Transportation Secretary Tom Smith and State Police Superintendent Jan Cahill to go “above and beyond” current safety standards because of the high number of wrecks. Smith and Cahill will assign additional troopers to the 14-mile (23-kilometer) construction zone and enhance safety warnings and signage.
Putnam County Emergency Management Director Frank Chapman says the crashes are attributed to distracted driving and failing to slow for stopped traffic. He says all parties involved in the fatal rear-end collisions were local to the area and should’ve been aware of the project.
He says one pregnant woman was rear-ended in Cabell County, causing a miscarriage.
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