Our Mission
A major focus of NCAST is promoting awareness of safety issues specific to younger motorists.
Teen drivers are especially at risk on the roads, with vehicle crashes the leading cause of death in America among those under 21.
The inexperience and impulsiveness of teen drivers is a significant reason for their high crash rates, making important the safety features of the vehicles they drive as well as getting plenty of supervised driving practice.
Initiatives
NCAST, in partnership with GHSP, has launched a Hispanic community-focused traffic safety awareness campaign across North Carolina. Click below to see the total campaign of print ads and radio commercials!
Across the United States, over 7,000 people died in teen-related crashes from 2010–2019 during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes due to lack of experience behind the wheel and driver distractions — especially if their friends are in the car. NCAST is encouraging teens to take the Be Safe Pledge — to avoid distractions while driving, to learn and obey all traffic laws, and to urge your friends do the same.
SPOTLIGHT:
October is Pedestrian Safety Month.
The personal, physical, and environmental benefits of walking can lead to safer, healthier, and cleaner streets. Walking can also improve our local economies and enhance social and community engagement, which can lead to more vibrant, resilient, and livable spaces. Unfortunately, in 2022 there were 7,522 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes nationally— the highest total since 1981.
For many North Carolinians, Halloween is the highlight of October. Drivers should be aware that on Halloween evening, there will likely be more pedestrians on the roads and in unexpected places. Families will be trick-or-treating with smaller children who may be unaware of surrounding traffic and quick to dart into the street. Remember: Slower speeds save lives.
Everyone shares in the responsibility for road safety. NHTSA urges communities to adopt the Safe System Approach, which is a comprehensive plan that helps prevent crashes from happening and minimizes the injury to those involved in crashes that do occur.