LUMBERTON – A social media campaign describing the dangers of unsafe driving will soon blitz Robeson County.
The campaign is part of an effort by the Robeson County Vision Zero task force to impress upon people just how dangerous not buckling up, speeding and driving distracted or drunk can be.
Last year, 43 people lost their lives in crashes across the county. The number of traffic deaths in the county has been rising this year.
The task force’s chairman, Grady Hunt, unveiled the campaign during its virtual meeting Thursday. He said the N.C. Department of Transportation helped design the campaign’s graphics and messages.
Hunt said the task force is encouraging institutions, churches, nonprofits and other organizations across the county to use the social media tool kit and share the campaign materials on their social media platforms.
“Driving down these numbers will take everyone’s effort,” said Hunt, also a member of the N.C. Board of Transportation. “With the help of your organization, we can reach many more people with our important message. Together, we can save more lives.”
(Examples of the graphics are attached to this release, and a copy of the social media tool kit can be downloaded near the top of ncvisionzero.org/Robeson.)
The department and the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program have been piloting with the task force since 2018. Each year, Robeson County is consistently ranked worst in the state for crashes, based on a variety of data compiled by NCDOT’s Division of Mobility and Safety.
Safety Program Updates
In other news Thursday, the task force received presentations on the following free safety programs available to the public:
BikeSafe NC – Operated by the N.C. Highway Patrol, this program invites motorcyclists to participate in Rider Skills Days that assess their riding skills. To find an upcoming class, visit http://www.bikesafenc.com/
MADD of North Carolina – This well-known nonprofit organization seeks to stop drunk driving and support those affected by it. To get help or find out how to get involved in Robeson County, go to https://www.madd.org/north-carolina/
Talk it Out NC –This educational outreach program helps parents talk to their teenagers about the dangers of underage drinking. Learn more and find resources at https://www.talkitoutnc.org/.