The city of Badin has been recognized as an Outstanding Traffic Safety Community by AAA Carolinas’ Foundation for Traffic Safety.

In all, 15 North Carolina cities were honored for their efforts in traffic safety during a Foundation-hosted awards luncheon held Nov. 27 in Durham.

High Point, Tarboro and Surf City were the three safest cities for traffic last year in all of North Carolina and named Traffic Safety Communities of the Year.

High Point was tops among municipalities with a population greater than 30,000. Tarboro was the winner in the 10,000 to 30,000 population category and Surf City in the less than 10,000 population category.

Twelve other cities were honored as being among the top five safest in their category, each receiving awards naming them Outstanding Traffic Safety Communities.

Population greater than 30,000 — Cary, Wake County; Chapel Hill, Orange County; Huntersville, Mecklenburg County; Greensboro, Guilford County.

Population between 10,000-30,000 — Apex, Wake County; Cornelius, Mecklenburg County; Havelock, Craven County; Laurinburg, Scotland County.

Population less than 10,000 — Badin, Stanly County; Laurel Park, Henderson County; Pine Knoll Shores, Carteret County; Woodfin, Buncombe County.

Cities were chosen based on crash statistics, number of law enforcement officers per capita, presence of a formal traffic safety program and existence of a special traffic division. Statistical analysis was performed by the Center for Transportation Policy Studies at UNC Charlotte. Selection was done by the Foundation.

This is the third year AAA Carolinas’ Foundation for Traffic Safety has given such awards in an effort to recognize those cities that make a strong effort to make our state’s highways safer.

Darrell Jernigan, director of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, and Tom Crosby, president of AAA Carolinas’ Foundation for Traffic Safety, presented the awards at the luncheon.