The West Virginia Division of Highways would like to remind those interested in hosting holiday safety breaks at rest areas and Welcome Centers of its policy and encourages groups to apply now. The policy conforms to federal and state laws and provides guidance to nonprofit organizations on the various requirements to participate, how to apply for sponsorship, the allowed food items, dates of the programs and other details. The Safety Break program is designed to encourage drivers to stop and take a break to insure safe and alert driving. “The Division of Highways’ Safety Break program is very worthwhile. While I am happy to see so many groups interested in keeping our drivers alert and our highways safe, the division is bound by federal regulations that permit these activities by certain groups on designated holidays,” said Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox. It is the division’s policy that permission may only be granted to civic non-profit organizations with an identifiable safety program targeting transportation or to groups that participate in the Adopt-A-Highway Program. Fund-raising groups and organizations sponsoring festivals, fairs and recreational activities are not permitted to host safety breaks at DOH rest areas or welcome centers. Permission to eligible groups will be granted during the holidays of New Year’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and the 1st day of Buck Gun Season. The agency reserves the right to permit safety breaks on days with extraordinarily high traffic volumes at its discretion. Applications will be accepted at the DOH district offices statewide through the month of December and selections will be made by the end of January 2014. To access the Safety Break application, DOH District contact information or to view the policy in its entirety, please visit the West Virginia Department of Transportation’s website: http://www.transportation.wv.gov/highways/policies/Documents/SafetyBreaksAtRestAreas.pdf.
