The North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program is launching a new initiative to teach young drivers how to navigate getting pulled over.
It’s called The Traffic Stop Safety Program. It’s done in collaboration with the national nonprofit Dedication To Community (D2C).
In 2024, state law enforcement conducted approximately 1.2 million traffic stops, with hundreds involving the use of force. To limit future altercations, D2C instructors and local law enforcement will train teens on their responsibilities during stops through live reenactments and role play.
Mark Ezzell directs the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. He says each 2-hour session will focus on de-escalation, violence prevention and trauma reduction.
"If we can educate young people about the appropriate way to interact in a law enforcement encounter, it's going to keep everybody safer," he says. "And that's what I'm hoping to get out of it: a safer population, more safety for our youth and safety for our law enforcement as well."
D2C will partner with public high school driver’s ed programs, school principals and other stakeholders. The events are set to begin this month in Charlotte and Raleigh. Ezzell hopes to eventually expand the initiative statewide.