CAR SEAT SATURDAY: GET AN

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Our Vision

All North Carolinians getting where they are going safely.

While North Carolina has a dynamic community of issue-specific transportation safety advocates, what was missing was one organization with expertise in conducting high-impact public communications efforts, providing effective grassroots and grasstops citizen engagement, and serving to champion public policies that promote better behaviors to combat perils to safety across all forms and manner of transportation.

The North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation (NCAST) was created to be that organization, with one goal in mind: reduce the number of transportation-related crashes, injuries and fatalities in North Carolina.

Our Mission

To drive behaviors that promote and encourage safe use of North Carolina’s transportation network.

A major focus of NCAST is promoting awareness of safety issues specific to younger motorists.

Teen drivers are especially at risk on the roads, with vehicle crashes the leading cause of death in America among those under 21.

The inexperience and impulsiveness of teen drivers is a significant reason for their high crash rates, making important the safety features of the vehicles they drive as well as getting plenty of supervised driving practice.

News, Events & Initiatives

2026 Ambassador Scholarships

We want to thank to last year’s NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassadors It’s great to see students get involved – especially on an issue that can affect them so seriously. Learn who our 2026 Scholarship Recipients are, and read their letters to the editor in their local newspapers advocating for safe driving initiatives.

Are you a high school junior or senior that’s ready to make a difference? Become a 2026-2027 NCAST Teen Traffic Safety Ambassador. Help reduce the number of teen crashes and even save lives – plus you’ll be eligible for an education scholarship of up to $1000!

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As seen on: WSOC-TV

NCAST Executive Director Joe Stewart describes our Candidates for Safe Driving campaign, and reminds viewers to put the phone down and stay focused on the road.

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As seen on: Spectrum News

Teen Ambassador Trey Laurore explains why it’s important to him to make sure his friends and classmates understand the basics of being safe behind the wheel …

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Stay up to Speed on Travel Safety

Our free monthly email newsletter provides a quick review of the latest traffic safety news and events— both in North Carolina and from across the country…

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2026 Sweethearts of Safety

Our 4th annual Sweethearts of Safety Awards Luncheon in Raleigh honored exceptional leaders who have dedicated their time to making travel in North Carolina safer.

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NCAST Highlight Reel

Watch to learn about our mission and how we make an impact—promoting safe driving habits, saving lives, and reducing traffic-related injuries in NC…

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Funding for Wildlife Crossings

Wildlife crashes cost over $10 billion and 200 lives in the U.S. every year. Wildlife crossings are a cost-effective solution that help protect animals drivers from collisions…

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SPOTLIGHT:

Using the correct car seat — correctly — can make all the difference.

Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children, and research shows that 46% of car seats are misused. Common issues include children being in the wrong types of car seats for their age and size, and car seats being installed incorrectly — both of which leave children vulnerable to injury in a crash. Every day in 2024, two children 14 years old and younger were killed in traffic crashes — and another 349 were injured.

Child Passenger Safety Week — which runs this year from September 20-26, 2026—culminates with National Seat Check Saturday on the 26th, providing a day for parents and caregivers to receive free instruction on how to correctly install and use the right car seats for their children. Find a technician available in your community by visiting NHTSA.gov/CarSeatInspection.

In passenger cars, car seats used correctly reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants and by 54% for toddlers 1 to 4 years old in passenger cars. For infants and toddlers in light trucks, the corresponding reductions are 58% and 59%, respectively.
A NHTSA study found that while most parents and caregivers believe they know how to correctly install their childrens’ car seats, about half (46%) have installed seats incorrectly.
NHTSA also estimates that since 1975, child restraints have saved the lives of 11,606 children under the age of 5.

To learn more, visit this link…