West Virginia Truck Following Distance
200 feet, and it's a convoy rule. Run a truck over 8,000 lbs GVW, a bus, special mobile equipment, or a combination, and you can't follow within 200 feet of another such heavy vehicle outside a business or residence district (W. Va. Code 17C-7-10(b)). It doesn't bind you in town, on marked truck lanes, or in no-passing zones, and never stops you passing. Behind a car or in traffic, the general reasonable-and-prudent standard (17C-7-10(a)) is what a trooper actually cites.
How much room West Virginia makes you keep
200 feet, and it's a convoy rule. Run a truck over 8,000 lbs GVW, a bus, special mobile equipment, or a combination, and you can't follow within 200 feet of another such heavy vehicle outside a business or residence district (W. Va. Code 17C-7-10(b)). It doesn't bind you in town, on marked truck lanes, or in no-passing zones, and never stops you passing. Behind a car or in traffic, the general reasonable-and-prudent standard (17C-7-10(a)) is what a trooper actually cites.
The required distance
- Rule: Fixed truck gap
- Gap: 200 feet behind another truck, bus, or combination, outside a business or residence district (convoy rule).
- Fine: Misdemeanor. Up to $100 first offense, $200 on a second within a year, $500 third or later.
West Virginia Following Distance FAQ
How much following distance must a truck keep in West Virginia?
What is the required gap in West Virginia?
What is the following-too-closely fine in West Virginia?
Reference information for planning, not legal advice. Traffic laws change and this can be out of date, so always confirm the current statute and obey posted signs before you rely on it. Last reviewed July 2026. Source: https://code.wvlegislature.gov/17C-7-10/. See our Terms & Disclaimer.
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