STARTING POINT
SAFE TRAVELS NC | ISSUE 3 | DECEMBER 2024
Happy Holidays!
Welcome to another edition of Safe Travels NC, a free monthly email newsletter from the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation. We hope you find something here that makes your world a little safer.
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And, if you have a topic you’d like to see featured, or a question to ask, reach out!
The shoes on the asphalt were empty. 165 pairs – one pair for every person under the age of 20 who died last year on North Carolina’s roadways.
“A powerful reminder,” state Rep. Sarah Crawford said. “Of the importance of road safety and a call to action for all of us to work together.”
Every year on the third Sunday of November, groups around the world observe the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The N.C. Alliance for Safe Transportation focused its event on young drivers and a new Teen Ambassador program meant to get young people talking to each other about safe driving.
More than 100 ambassadors signed up in the program’s first few weeks, applications are still open and participants are eligible for a $500 scholarship.
“Please use your seatbelts,” Teen Ambassador Sydney Martin said during the Nov. 17 Day of Remembrance event. “Don’t use your phone or do anything stupid while driving. Watch the other drivers around you, and be careful.”
Sydney’s mother was injured in a crash, on Mother’s Day, because another driver was looking at his phone.
Teen Ambassador Aylin McGowan also attended the event, which was hosted by the NC State Highway Patrol at Troop C headquarters in Raleigh. Aylin is an accomplished athlete, and she compared driving habits to sports. Athletes don’t compete without the right equipment. Wear your seatbelt. Athletes improve with coaching. Listen to your parents and driving instructors.
From left to right: NC State Highway Patrol Trooper J.J. Garrett, Teen Ambassador Aylin McGowan, NCAST Board Vice Chair Tiffany Wright, Teen Ambassador Sydney Martin, state Rep. Sarah Crawford, state Sen. Jim Burgin.
“The little things that every driver could do should become as common practice as the little things in athletics,” Aylin said.
Seatbelts were a particular focus: 41% of the North Carolina teenagers who died in crashes last year weren’t wearing their seatbelt.
Distracted driving was also a focus. Sen. Jim Burgin, a Harnett County Republican, has pushed for years to strengthen North Carolina’s laws on cell phone use in a moving vehicle. Burgin was somber as he surveyed the shoes symbolizing real lives cut short.
“When I look at these shoes I see young people that are being held hostage by their phone,” Burgin said.
Burgin said his bill - called Hands Free NC - will be the first piece of legislation he files for next year’s legislative session. Crawford, a Wake County Democrat, plans to push for state funding to build wildlife crossings and cut down on the tens of thousands of impacts each year between animals and vehicles.
“Together we can create a culture of safety on our roads,” she said.
The event drew media coverage, including from The News & Observer. Other organizations also sponsored World Day of Remembrance events, including in Charlotte, Durham and Greensboro.
Ask a Trooper
“There are so many safety mechanisms in modern cars. Do I still need to wear my seatbelt?”
You asked, Sgt. Marcus Bethea of the NC State Highway Patrol answered. This month’s question comes from a student in Chapel Hill.
Got a question? Ask it in a short video and send it here.
Seatbelts Work
It’s this simple: Every year the state of North Carolina surveys seatbelt usage, sending observers to more than 100 locations to watch and see whether people are wearing them.
Usage hovers around 90% and yet last year 44% of the people who died in car crashes here weren’t wearing their seatbelt.
Wear your seatbelt and insist that your children do the same. In 1985 North Carolina implemented a mandatory child seat belt law. Crash deaths and serious injuries have dropped 42% since then.
One more thing to remember: Wear the shoulder harness over your shoulder, not beneath the armpit. You might be surprised how many people wear them wrong.
8 Minute Interview
How do you know when it’s time for a parent to stop driving, and how do you convince them? Josh Dunning, AARP’s vice president of driver safety, tackles the question.
Deer Season Danger!
Deer mating season runs through December, which radically increases the chances for vehicle collisions. AAA – The Auto Club Group wants to remind everyone: Be extra cautious on the road, because deer are extremely active and more likely to dart into the roadway.
Hitting a deer can be as destructive as hitting another vehicle. The average damage claim runs about $4,300, and nearly 2,000 people have died over the past decade in animal-related crashes. These crashes are also on the upswing: 2023 saw an increase of 1,700 animal crashes in North Carolina.
There were 21,835 for the year.
Some AAA tips:
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Deer are most active between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. as well as 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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If you see a deer, slow down and watch for other deer that may follow.
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While slowing down, honk your horn to scare the animal.
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Brake firmly and don’t swerve.
If you hit a deer, move your vehicle to a safe location out of the roadway as quickly as possible, turn on your hazard lights and call the police. Avoid touching the animal. A frightened or wounded animal can injure you. Take a picture of the damage and call your insurance company.
To report an injured deer in North Carolina, call NCDNR’s Wildlife Enforcement Division at (800) 662-7137.
Time to Talk?
The first week of December is Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, and though older drivers as a group are some of our safest drivers, they’re more vulnerable to injuries in a crash.
And, eventually, time retires us all from driving.
How do you know it’s time to step back? Or whether it’s time for that conversation with parents?
Here are some signs, pulled from a longer National Institute on Aging list.
Fender benders
Two traffic tickets or warnings within 2 years
Friends or neighbors share concerns
You feel anxiety about driving
You’re complaining more about other drivers
Stiff joints make it harder to check mirrors
You get lost on a familiar route
Trouble staying in your lane
You confuse the brake and gas pedals
Abrupt braking for no reason
The AARP also offers an online seminar for members to help you assess skills and prepare, as well as online and in-person driving courses for drivers aged 50 and up.
AARP even offers a free phone app that lets family members track and compare and even compete over each other’s driving habits. The SafeTrip app logs speed, fast braking incidents, cell phone distraction and other metrics.
Transit in the News
70% of vehicle fleets impacted by distracted driving
- Construction Business Owner
Trump picks Wisconsin Rep. Duffy for transportation secretary
- Associated Press
Save the Date!
The NC Alliance for Safe Transportation will hold its second annual Sweethearts of Safety event February 13th, honoring people who’ve gone above and beyond for safety.
Bookmark this link for updates and ticket info soon!
One Last Thing…
Coats & Car Seats
It’s getting colder, and your little one is bundled up. But did you know a puffy jacket can lessen their car seat’s effectiveness?
The extra padding provides too much wiggle room for the harness to stay snug. Your child may move until they’re no longer protected by the seat, and in a crash a bulky coat compresses against the harness, potentially causing injury.
Experts recommend going with a thinner coat or removing bulky jackets when your toddler or preschooler gets in the car. You can put a blanket over them in the seat or, for older kids, flip the coat and have them put their arms in backwards once they’re strapped in.
Consumer Reports has tips online here for testing whether your child’s coat is too bulky.
NCAST | Safe Travels NC
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