Editor's note: A video recording of Thursday's virtual meeting can be found on NCDOT's YouTube channel and at ncvisionzero.org/Robeson.
LUMBERTON – Members of the clergy in Robeson County are helping a task force reduce traffic deaths.
Some pastors joined into a virtual roundtable Thursday with other stakeholders serving on the county's Vision Zero task force. They want to apply the biblical principle of “love thy neighbor" to helping people drive more safely.
The task force formed in 2018 with a mission of reducing traffic deaths. An average 48 people die in crashes annually in the county, many as the result of not wearing seatbelts or speeding, drinking alcohol or being distracted. For the past several years, Robeson County has ranked among the most dangerous for crashes in the state, according to data compiled by the N.C. Department of Transportation's Mobility and Safety Division.
The task force chairman, Grady Hunt, said the faith community plays an integral part in the lives of the citizens of Robeson County.
“We have many churches and other organizations doing important ministry that reaches people across our county," said Hunt, a Robeson County attorney and member of the N.C. Board of Transportation. “We need the faith-based community to help us spread the word about the dangers of bad driving."
The bulk of Thursday's meeting was moderated by the Rev. Ray Beale, associate pastor of The Gathering Church in Durham. She has a doctorate in ministry and more than 20 years of experience in pastoral care and consulting.
Beale said pastors in Robeson County have shepherded their congregations through two major hurricanes since 2016 and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has presented its own set of challenges for their churches. Pastors, who naturally love people and want to help them, she said, can remind their congregations to pray for safety before hitting the road.
“They really believe that we as pastors have the influence and the deep and inviting relationships that it takes to help that small, three-second step to buckling up a seat belt," Beale said.
The Rev. Steve Strickland, missions director of the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in Pembroke, said the natural disasters and pandemic have reminded faith-based organizations how many people depend on them during a crisis. But, many pastors are beleaguered, he said. They hold full-time jobs outside of their churches to make ends meet.
“I will say we have learned that our people are very resilient," Strickland said. “They are strong. We have learned we can face tragedy, and see light on the other side."
Beale will continue the conversation and look to the clergy for ways to provide outreach to their congregations. The task force will meeting again Oct. 28.