RALEIGH – The following are highlights from this week at the N.C. Department of Transportation. The stories below are also featured in NCDOT Now, the department’s weekly newscast.
NCGHSP Addressing High Fatality Rates Among Black Drivers
As part of Black History Month, the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program is highlighting the need to prioritize Black lives behind the wheel. The fatality rate for Black drivers and passengers in 2020 rose nearly 24%, to 505 deaths, and is up more than 40% over the past four years, according to recent data from the NCDOT Transportation & Mobility Unit.
You can support roadway safety in your community by joining a local NC Vision Zero Community online at ncvisionzero.org and becoming a social media influencer. Visit ghsp.nc.gov and like NCGHSP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and reshare roadway safety information.
State Giving Record Number of Children Bicycle Helmets
A record number of children, nearly 12,000 across the state, will receive free, lifesaving bicycle helmets through the NCDOT’s Bicycle Helmet Initiative. This is part of an ongoing effort to reduce bicycle injuries and deaths in the state.
While less than half of all children typically wear a helmet while biking, helmets can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 90%. Click here to view the organizations receiving helmets.
North Carolina Aviation Art Contest
Judges recently chose the finalists for this year’s Aviation Art Contest. State Transportation Sec. Eric Boyette helped judge this year’s contest – which is held annually and managed by the department’s Division of Aviation. Despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, students across the state submitted nearly 800 pieces of art.
The North Carolina winners will be announced in the coming weeks and their work will be forwarded to Washington, D.C., where it will be judged in the National Aviation Art Contest. For more information, go to the Division of Aviation’s website.
For more information about NCDOT Now, contact the NCDOT Communications Office at (919) 707-2660. Additional news stories from throughout the week can be found on NCDOT.gov.
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