Press release from N.C. Department of Transportation:
Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists in western North Carolina from Murphy to Mount Airy will see increased safety information as the N.C. Department of Transportation kicks off its 2020 Watch for Me NC awareness campaign.
Last year, 241 pedestrians and 19 bicyclists were killed on North Carolina roadways.
Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists will see and hear safety messages that will better educate them on relevant laws and safe behaviors.
- Delivery bag inserts: Watch for Me NC inserts with driver, bicyclist and pedestrian safety tips are going in food delivery bags (English and Spanish).
- Car toppers: Ride share vehicles will have toppers on their vehicles that display important safety reminders for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
- Pandora radio: During ad breaks, listeners will hear bike and pedestrian safety tips.
“It’s great to be partnering with mountain communities to proactively deliver safety messages to help raise awareness and reduce fatalities among pedestrians and bicyclists in our state,” said Heather Hildebrandt, interim director of the department’s Integrated Mobility Division. “This media effort is another tool to help educate pedestrians, drivers and bicyclists about how to keep themselves and others safe while on the road.”
At the same time, law enforcement officers will receive special training for enforcing bicycle and pedestrian safety laws as part of the program, which officially launched in 2012 to promote pedestrian safety. There are now 30 participating partner communities across the state.
For more information about the Watch for Me NC program or to see what past communities have done to improve safety, click here. The UNC Highway Safety Research Center provides technical support with program implementation and evaluation.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.