RALEIGH, NC (February 18, 2021) — A record number of children, 11,850 total, across the state will be receiving lifesaving bicycle helmets through the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Bicycle Helmet Initiative, part of ongoing efforts to reduce bicycle injuries and deaths in North Carolina.
NCDOT uses funds from the sale of “Share the Road” specialty license plates to pay for bike helmets that are distributed at bicycle safety events for underprivileged children by government and non-government agencies. A record 163 organizations applied to participate in the program this year. Helmets will be delivered by April 30.
Helmets save lives. While less than half of all children typically wear a helmet while biking, they can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by nearly 90 percent.
The following organizations are receiving helmets:
- AAA Carolinas Foundation for Traffic Safety
- Albemarle, N.C.
- Ashe/Alleghany Safe Kids
- Atrium Health
- Balantyne Elementary School
- Baton Elementary School
- Beaufort, N.C.
- BikeWalkNC
- Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth & Families
- Boone Police Department
- Boost The Boro – Bladenboro Beast Festival
- Brain Injury Association of NC
- Buckland Elementary School
- Buncombe County Recreation Services
- CB Eller Elementary
- Cabarrus County Active Living and Parks
- Cape Carteret, N.C.
- Cape Hatteras Elementary School
- Cartoogechaye Elementary School
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
- Chatham County Sheriff’s Office
- China Grove Elementary
- City of Statesville Police Department
- City of Winston-Salem DOT
- CLT Bike Camp
- Concord Community Center Inc.
- Cornelius Police Department
- Cullowhee Valley School
- Davidson Police Department
- Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation
- Dunn, N.C.
- Durham Bicycle Cooperative
- Durham Parks and Recreation
- Durham Police Department Community Engagement Unit
- East Franklin Elementary School
- Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church
- Edenton, N.C.
- Edneyville Elementary School
- Elizabeth City Police Department
- Emma Elementary School-Buncombe County Schools
- Endhaven Elementary
- Forest City Police Department
- Francine Delany New School for Children
- Fuquay-Varina Police Dept.
- Gaston County Schools
- Girl Scout Troop 3056 High School Troop
- Glendale Acres C/FL Academy PTA (Glendale Acres Elementary School Parent Teacher Association)
- Goldsboro Parks and Recreation
- Greater Glenwood Neighborhood Association
- Greater Higher Grounds
- Greensboro Department of Transportation
- Greensboro Parks and Recreation
- Greensboro Police Department
- Greenville, N.C. Police Department
- Halifax County Safe Kids Coalition
- Halifax County Schools
- Harrisburg, N.C.
- Helping With Helmets
- Hemophilia of North Carolina
- Henderson Family YMCA
- High Point Parks & Recreation Department
- Highland Presbyterian Church, Moore Elementary Food Pantry
- Holly Springs Police Department
- Hudson Police Department, Hudson NC
- IntelliChoice Staffing, LLC (IntelliChoice Home Care)
- Jackson County Parks & Recreation Department
- Kannapolis Parks and Recreation Department
- Kannapolis Police Department
- Kill Devil Hills Police Department
- Kiwanis Club of Asheville
- Knightdale, N.C.
- Lake Forest
- Lansing, N.C.
- Learn to Ride Charlotte
- Lees-McRae College Outdoor Programs
- Love A Sea Turtle
- Madison County Sheriff’s Office
- Martin County NC Government
- Matthews Charter Academy
- Maysville, N.C.
- Mebane on the Move
- Mecklenburg County Park and Rec
- Mecklenburg County Public Health
- MedNorth Health Center
- Mills River Parks and Recreation Department
- Mooresville Police Department
- Morven Volunteer Fire Department
- Mulberry Elementary School
- NC Community Action Association
- Nash County Health Department (NCHD) and Twin Counties Partnership for Healthier Communities(TCPHC)
- National Cycling Center
- Newport Fire Department
- Newton Police Department
- North Canton Elementary School
- North Carolina School for the Deaf
- North Carolina State Highway Patrol
- North Wilkesboro Rotary Club
- Northstone Volunteers
- Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center
- Oak Ridge Elementary School
- Ocracoke School
- Onslow Memorial Hospital
- Orchard Trace Condominiums
- Oxford, N.C.
- Perquimans County Schools
- Phi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
- Polk County Recreation Department
- Positive Life Changes
- Raleigh Department of Transportation
- Randleman Police Department
- Roanoke Rapids Police Department
- Robeson County Health Department
- Rocky Mount, N.C.
- SOAR Outreach
- Safe Communities Coalition of Pitt County, Inc
- Safe Kids Alamance County
- Safe Kids Burke County Health Department
- Safe Kids Catawba County
- Safe Kids Cleveland County
- Safe Kids Durham County
- Safe Kids Johnston County
- Safe Kids Macon County
- Safe Kids Northwest Piedmont
- Safe Kids Pitt County
- Safe Kids Surry County
- Safe Kids Union County
- Safe Kids Wake County
- Scotland County Schools
- Shawboro Elementary School
- Smart Start of Pender County
- South Smithfield Elementary School
- Southern Shores Police Department
- Sparta Police Department
- Stoneybrook Christian Church
- Swain County Health Department
- Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department Inc.
- Sylva Police Department
- Trips For Kids Charlotte
- Tar-State Transportation Alliance Inc/Bicycling on Purpose
- Terry Benjey Bicycling Foundation
- The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education
- The Motherboard
- The Pedal Factory
- Town of Murphy Police Department
- Town of Warrenton Police Department
- Town of Waxhaw Parks and Recreation
- Twin Rivers YMCA
- UNC Trauma Program
- UR Restored Ministries Inc
- Vance County Schools
- WAMY Community Action, Inc.
- WH Robinson Elementary School
- Washington County Schools
- Washington County Schools
- Wendell Police Department
- Wilkesboro Police Department
- Wilmington Fire Department
- Wilmington Police Department
- Wilson Youth United Inc. Dba The SPOT
- Winston-Salem Police Department/Downtown Bike Patrol
- Winterville Ruritan Club
- YMCA of Northwest North Carolina
- YMCA of Western North Carolina
Residents dedicated to bicycle safety in North Carolina have supported this initiative since it began in 2007. Since then, thousands of bicycle helmets have been distributed to children.
For more information about the program, visit the NCDOT Bicycle Helmet Initiative webpage.