How well are young drivers in North Carolina being trained to safely share the road with pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable users? That’s the question BikeWalk NC board member and UNC Chapel Hill student Annalisa Sims is exploring in her ongoing research.
On February 12th, Annalisa presented her preliminary findings at the 2025 NCDOT Research and Innovation Symposium, held at NC State’s McKimmon Center. Her study examines how North Carolina’s Driver Education program prepares students to navigate multimodal road environments, evaluating both the curriculum’s technical components and its influence on young drivers’ perceptions of non-motorized road users.
By analyzing North Carolina’s written curriculum, comparing it to leading programs in other states, and interviewing driver education instructors, Annalisa is identifying key gaps and opportunities for improvement. Her research underscores the need for a stronger emphasis on multimodal safety in driver education—aligning with NCDOT’s 2024 Strategic Highway Safety Plan, which prioritizes public education as a key strategy for reducing traffic injuries and fatalities.
As part of her work, Annalisa is developing a policy paper outlining recommendations to modernize North Carolina’s driver education curriculum. Her findings support BikeWalk NC’s advocacy for evidence-based policies that ensure all road users—whether on foot, bike, or behind the wheel—can travel safely and responsibly.
BikeWalk NC remains committed to advancing safer streets through education and policy change! We’re proud of Annalisa’s important research and her dedication to making North Carolina’s roads safer for everyone.
