The City of Kannapolis Police Department is once again partnering with NCDOT and the Watch for Me NC Program. This is the 4th year the Kannapolis Police Department has participated in the program. The City is one of 22 cities in the state who will benefit from the comprehensive pedestrian and bicycle safety program.
As the City’s population, especially in downtown Kannapolis, grows, it is very important for police officers to educate pedestrians and motorists on how to safely share the roads. Everyone needs to be aware of each other when driving, walking, running, biking and so forth. Education about the proper rules for driving, using crosswalks, bicycle paths, and more are all part of the Watch for Me NC Program. Last year, the department also received a grant for children’s bicycle helmets that were distributed to the public.
Twenty-two 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.
Now in its ninth year, the Watch for Me NC program provides training for law enforcement officers on ways to improve safety for road users in their areas. Groups also will receive technical assistance, materials and purchased media promotion such as radio advertisements to bring attention to driver awareness and pedestrian and bicycle safety.
“We’re pleased to have these 22 communities working with us to keep cyclists, pedestrians and drivers safe in North Carolina,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “The Watch for Me NC program equips these communities with valuable training, partnerships and resources that can be tailored to their unique needs and audiences.”
The program leverages the strengths of law enforcement and public education to encourage safe and secure places to walk and bike.
The 2022 partner communities and counties are:
• Apex (Wake)
• Beaufort (Carteret)
• Bogue Banks Coalition (Carteret)
• Carrboro (Orange)
• Chapel Hill (Orange)
• Cornelius (Mecklenburg)
• Creedmoor (Granville)
• Davidson (Mecklenburg)
• East Carolina University (Pitt)
• Elizabeth City (Pasquotank)
• Forest City (Rutherford)
• Fuquay-Varina (Wake)
• Greensboro (Guilford)
• Greenville (Pitt)
• Kannapolis (Cabarrus)
• Kinston (Lenoir)
• Kill Devil Hills (Dare)
• Morrisville (Wake)
• Murphy (Cherokee)
• Shelby (Cleveland)
• Sparta (Alleghany)
• Wendell (Wake)
This year’s program is supported by the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program.
The UNC Highway Safety Research Center provides technical support with program implementation and evaluation. For more information about the program, visit Watch for Me NC’s website.