RALEIGH – Seven communities will soon benefit from
participation in Watch for Me NC, a
comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle safety program aimed at reducing bicycle
and pedestrian crashes and fatalities in North Carolina.
“We are excited to welcome these new community partners and their ideas as we
work together to improve safety for all road users,” said Hanna Cockburn,
director of the N.C. Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian
Division. “The Watch for Me NC program continues to mature and now serves as a
model for other cities and states across the nation.”
The program leverages the strengths of law enforcement and public education
to encourage safe and secure places to walk and bike. The NCDOT selected the
following new partners to join 29 returning communities across the state:
- Alexander County
- Clayton (Johnston County)
- Fayetteville (Cumberland County)
- Forest City (Rutherford County)
- Franklin (Macon County)
- Hendersonville (Henderson County)
- Spindale (Rutherford County)
The program provides training for law enforcement officers on methods for
improving safety for road users in their areas. Communities will also receive
technical assistance, materials, and purchased media promotion such as
billboards to help raise public awareness about important pedestrian and bicycle
safety issues.
The UNC Highway Safety Research
Center provides technical support with campaign implementation and
evaluation. For more information about the program, visit: www.watchformenc.org. To learn what past
communities have done to improve safety, visit: http://www.watchformenc.org/about/partner-community-profiles/.