Help Friends Stay Safe Behind The Wheel.
Become a 2026-2027 NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassador and help reduce the number of crashes and even save lives – you can receive a $150 stipend for your work and you’ll be eligible for an education scholarship of up to $1000!*
Each year, over 10,000 NC teens are injured and more than 100 are killed in car crashes. Teens with limited driving experience are especially at risk on the roads, and vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in America for people under 21.
NCAST is ready to do something about it!
The Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Program promotes awareness of driving safety issues specific to younger drivers through peer-to-peer messaging on avoiding distractions while driving, learning and obeying traffic laws, and always wearing seat belts.
NCAST Teen Ambassador Benefits
College Applications
An NCAST Teen Ambassadorship is a unique and compelling extracurricular activity to add to your college applications.
Community Service
Depending on your school’s specific requirements, being a teen ambassador may fulfill community service obligations.
Stipends and Scholarships
Ambassadors who fulfill duties get a $150 stipend, and are eligible for an educational scholarship of up to $1000!*
Apply by Sept. 15, 2026 for priority consideration.
Applications received after September 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis as space allows.
Ambassadors who are selected and who actively attend program training sessions and attend an in-person event, including a legislative advocacy day, an NCAST event or press conference, speaking to a local civic club or speaking to a local government meeting, will receive a $150 stipend.
Ambassadors who complete the engagement opportunities laid out in the program description and expectations document and submit evidence of completion by April 1 will receive a one-time college scholarship between $500 and $1,000.
Other funding may be available to execute ideas that ambassadors pitch. We want your creativity!
Our Primary Traffic Safety Initiatives
Don't drive distracted.
Focus on driving. Phone use is prohibited for motorists under 18, and texting and emailing while driving is illegal regardless of age. Playing games, browsing the internet or using social media while driving should be avoided. Don’t apply cosmetics or engage in personal grooming when driving, and NEVER get behind the wheel if you’re drowsy or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Make adjustments to mirrors, seats and other controls before you start moving, and enter any navigational information beforehand as well.
Learn and obey traffic laws.
Be sure you understand the restrictions relative to your current stage within the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system.
Always obey the posted speed limit, including the required speed reductions approaching curves, intersections, schools and construction zones, etc. Remember to adjust your driving appropriately for time of day, weather, pedestrians or bicyclists, and any road hazards.
Keep in mind, these regulations are called “safety rules” because they keep you safe.
Always wear seat belts.
Wearing a seatbelt is the single most effective action you can take to protect yourself from severe injury or death in a car crash. According to the CDC, buckling up reduces serious crash-related injuries and fatalities by about half.
Airbags are designed to work with seatbelts, not replace them. Without a belt, you can be launched directly into a deploying airbag, which can be fatal.
The Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Program promotes awareness of issues specific to younger drivers through peer-to-peer messaging on avoiding distractions, learning and obeying traffic laws, and always wearing seat belts.
READY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Become a 2026-2027 NCAST Teen Traffic Safety Ambassador and help reduce the number of teen crashes and even save lives – and you’ll be eligible for an education scholarship of up to $1000!
By filling out the form above you consent to be contacted intermittently via email with information regarding road safety topics. NCAST does not sell or disclose your information to third parties. Any correspondence sent will allow you the opportunity to opt out of receiving future emails. Please review the program description and expectations document linked below and understand that, if selected, my participation will require submission of a parent/guardian form.
Upcoming Program Activities
As part of your role as Teen Ambassador for NCAST, you’ll be given examples and engage in promoting the following activities surrounding key NCAST transportation safety public communication milestones, such as:
OCTOBER
18-24
2026
Teen Driver Safety Week
Each student encouraged to post on their social media accounts and promote awareness of best driving behaviors via peer-to-peer communications within their own social and community networks.
NOVEMBER
15
2026
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
Students are encouraged to help promote safe driving by bringing awareness to the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, and if able, attend a remembrance event at one of several NC locations on Sunday, Nov. 15.
APRIL
1-30
2027
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Focus on the importance of focus. No one should have a phone in their hand when they drive. Details to come, but we’ll be looking for your ideas to spread a crucial safe driving message.
2026-2027 NCAST TEEN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
Official Rules
ELIGIBILITY: Program is open to North Carolina residents who are 15 to 19 years old as of Sept. 15, 2026 and enrolled in high school or post-secondary education. Employees of NCAST and members of their immediate families (children and siblings) are not eligible to enter or win. Void where prohibited by law.
HOW TO APPLY: All eligible registrants must complete an online form to enter. Entries generated by script, macro or other automated means and entries by any means which subvert the entry process are void. Limit one (1) entry per person. All entries become the sole property of the Sponsor (NCAST) and may not be acknowledged or returned. Sponsor’s clock is the official timekeeper of this program and applicants must apply by Sept. 15, 2026 for priority consideration. Later applications may be considered as space allows. Minor participants must submit a parental permission form.
RECIPIENT NOTIFICATION: Scholarship recipients will be notified via email. Potential recipients may be required to execute and return an affidavit of eligibility. If such documents are not returned within a specified time period, scholarship or scholarship notification is returned as undeliverable, Sponsor is unable to contact the recipient, or the potential recipient is not in compliance with these Official Rules, scholarship may be forfeited.
SCHOLARSHIPS and STIPENDS: Students who complete requirements explained in the NCAST Teen Ambassador expectations document will be eligible for a one-time scholarship between $500 and $1,000, depending on total program participation and project funding, awarded by NCAST. The scholarship must be applied toward academic related expenses. NCAST will work with the recipient and/or the recipient’s legal guardian to determine the best method for awarding the scholarship. A separate stipend will be provided for students who attend at least one in person event to defray travel costs.
SCHOLARSHIP CONDITIONS: All applicable federal, state and local taxes, if any, and all other costs and expenses associated with scholarship or stipend acceptance and use not specified herein as being provided are the sole responsibility of the recipient. Released Parties (as defined below) disclaim all and any liability for the actual provision, quality or nature of any scholarship (or portion thereof) accepted by the recipient the awarding of any scholarship is contingent upon full compliance with these Official Rules. Scholarship is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor. No substitution, assignment, transfer, or cash equivalent of scholarship (or portion thereof) is permitted, except by Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute scholarship (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value, at its sole discretion. All scholarship details are at Sponsor’s sole discretion.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: By participating in the program, each entrant agrees: (a) to abide by these Official Rules and decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects relating to this program; (b) to release, discharge and hold harmless NCAST and its respective affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees, agents and representatives of the foregoing (collectively, “Released Parties”) from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind to persons, including death, or property resulting, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from entrant’s participation in the program or any program-related activity (including any travel/activity related thereto) or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the scholarship (or portion thereof); and (c) to the use of his/her name, voice, performance, photograph, entry, and/or likeness for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide and on the Internet, and in perpetuity by NCAST and its designees, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) or additional consents from entrant or any third party and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific consent to such use.
MISCELLANEOUS: Released Parties are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, illegible, damaged, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered, or garbled entries, or for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors or difficulties of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, network, typographical, printing or otherwise relating to or in connection with the program, including, without limitation, errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the program, the processing of entries, the announcement of the scholarship, or in any program-related materials. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the program. Released Parties are not responsible for any injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in this program or downloading materials from or use of the website. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the program or associated websites, who act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by NCAST, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. Should any portion of the program be, in NCAST’s sole opinion, compromised for any reason, including virus, worms, bugs, non-authorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of NCAST, corrupt or impair the administration, security, fairness or proper play, or submission of entries, NCAST reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the program (or portion thereof). CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK ANY AND ALL REMEDIES AVAILABLE FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
CHOICE OF LAW: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of entrant and Sponsor in connection with the program, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of North Carolina, USA.
PRIVACY: Information collected from participants shall not be sold to any third parties and shall only be used by NCAST and program participants in furtherance of the program.