HSRC News Briefs

Annual Report highlights Center achievements

Last month, HSRC announced the release of its FY2012 Annual Report. In the past year, in addition to its many other accomplishments, the Center celebrated a milestone in child passenger safety in North Carolina, organized a symposium to tackle the growing speed and safety problem on the state’s roadways, expanded our professional development offerings, and continued to conduct evaluations of safety policies and interventions nationwide.

The following are a few brief highlights from the report. During the 2011-2012 year, HSRC:

• Released more than 35 publications and presentations on a variety of topics, from parental awareness of supervised driving requirements for beginning drivers to leveraging the health benefits of active transportation
• Generated more than $16 in revenue for every $1 of support provided by the state
• Awarded HSRC’s fifth annual scholarship to encourage more interest among graduate students in the field of highway safety
• Awarded 13 Walk Friendly Community designations, bringing the total number of communities recognized since the program’s launch in April 2011 to 24 (as of June 20, 2012)
• Launched the first-ever National Bike to School Day in May 2012

It has been a busy and rewarding year at HSRC, and we hope you enjoy reading about our efforts to improve safety on the state’s and nation’s roadways. A digital copy of the report is available on the HSRC website.

In addition, HSRC has recently produced several other new resources, including the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) Summary Report on Annual Activities; PBIC White Paper Series, which covers some of its most commonly requested topics from engineers, public health officials, planners and advocates; and the Walk Friendly Communities Guide Book created to help communities become more pedestrian friendly.

National Bike to School Day: Registration now open

Wheels are in motion for the second annual National Bike to School Day! The National Center for Safe Routes to School recently opened registration for the celebration on Wednesday, May 8. Schools, community members and parents can register a Bike to School Day event now at www.walkbiketoschool.org. Registering a Bike to School Day event provides organizers access to a variety of downloadable materials, including stickers, certificates, badges and classroom activities. Registrants will also be entered into drawings for Saris bicycle parking racks.

Bike to School Day is a national event that gives communities across the country the opportunity to join together in bicycling to school on the same day. The event, an exciting celebration for both those new to the experience and those who have been two-wheeling to school for years, is part of the movement for year-round safe routes to school, and encourages bicycling to school as a healthy way for kids and families to make their school commute

Nearly 950 schools across the country participated in the inaugural national event in 2012, and participation is expected to increase for the 2013 celebration. As it did in 2012, the second annual National Bike to School Day builds on the excitement surrounding National Bike Month, led by the League of American Bicyclists each May, and builds off the 16 years of success of International Walk to School Day.

New this year, in addition to being part of National Bike Month, Bike to School Day is part of an international movement called Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. The goal of this effort is to engage and empower youth across the globe to develop and implement youth peer to peer education projects, support increased enforcement of traffic laws and advocate for stronger laws to protect young people on the roads.

HSRC publications and presentations

HSRC researchers and staff regularly present and publish findings via transportation, safety, research, public health and other trade conferences and venues.

To browse a complete list of recent HSRC publications and presentations, click here.

HSRC in the News

The following is a highlight of recent media stories that include information and research from the Center. Web links to the following news stories are time sensitive, so some stories might not be accessible after the initial publication date without required registration. To access more archived news media, please visit www.hsrc.unc.edu/news_room/archived_news.cfm.

Honk if you love apps that protect teen drivers
USA Today
April 5, 2013

Child passenger safety a must
The Blowing Rock
March 18, 2013

Fayetteville ranks high in auto crashes, driving up insurance rates for drivers
The Fayetteville Observer
March 10, 2013

Bill filed in NC House looks to relax motorcycle helmet laws
News 14 Carolina
March 5, 2013

A (Text) Message 2 Die 4? Educating Young Drivers
WUNC
Feb. 28, 2013

City says ‘no’ to medians
Carteret County News-Times
Feb. 13, 2013

Meet the Romney protégé who wants to be Massachusetts’ next senator
ThinkProgress.org
Feb. 13, 2013

DPS raises awareness of jaywalking
The Daily Tar Heel
Feb. 3, 2013

Durham school zones: Cross at your own risk
The News & Observer
Oct. 21, 2012

'Plugged-in' teens vulnerable in traffic
WTVM
Oct. 19, 2012

Speeders, beware: Cameras on rise
Cincinnati.com
Oct. 22, 2012

Planning is key to easy holiday travel
The Fayetteville Observer
Nov. 20, 2012