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Police In West Virginia To Increase Traffic Enforcement In Work Zones

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West Virginia is increasing enforcement of traffic laws in highway work zones in an effort to improve safety.

The Department of Transportation is using some of its federal grant money to pay for extra work zone patrols by West Virginia State Police troopers.

State officials announced the safety initiative Tuesday.

State police spokesman Sgt. Michael Baylous says he believes motorists have become complacent about seeing police lights in work zones and think they won't be pulled over for traffic violations.

With the extra patrols, Baylous says motorists can no longer assume that they won't be pulled over.

Department of Transportation spokesman Brent Walker says excessive speed or distracted driving are responsible for about 90 percent of accidents in work zones.