Local leaders in the Charlotte region are developing a safety plan thanks to over $3 million in funding to reduce crashes and save lives
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Local leaders across the Charlotteย region are working to make roads safer as new data highlights the urgency of the problem.
The Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) is partnering with agencies to create the regionโs first comprehensive safety action plan, aimed at reducing crashes and saving lives.
โWhen you look at the numbers, itโs easy to see why something needs to be done,โ officials said.
Since 2021, thousands of crashes have been reported across Mecklenburg, Iredell and Union counties, leaving more than 2,000 people seriously injured and over 900 killed.
โIdentifying new data driver strategies to lower serious crashes and serious injuries,โ Will Snyder, a transportation planner with CRTPO, said.
The organization has been awarded more than $3 million to develop the plan, which will focus on identifying solutions to bring those numbers down.
Leaders say improvements could include better lighting, clearer sight lines and safer intersections.
โSome of the things weโre talking about are improved lighting and sight lines at intersections for example, more engineering around safety at intersections, speed limits where are they appropriate, speed bumps where they are appropriate,โ Charlotte City Council member Ed Driggs, who serves on the CRTPO board, said.
But officials say infrastructure changes alone will not solve the problem.
โUp to 50% of road users walker, drivers, walkers, biker, have alcohol in their systems when they present to us for care, posted speed limits are that for a reason, speed severely impacts the outcome of the crash and the severity of the injuries,โ said Janice Williams, an injury prevention coordinator with Atrium Health.
Data also shows that while pedestrian and bicycle crashes make up just over 1% of total crashes, they account for 16% of fatal or serious injuries.
โNever drive distracted because one mistake can be life altering or ending,โ Williams said.
Leaders say the comprehensive safety plan is a first step toward addressing both infrastructure and driver behavior in an effort to reduce crashes across the region.
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