On April 24, 2025 my life, and the lives of three other families, were shattered. My brother, Matthew Jon Lockwood, an Eagle Scout, a United States Marine who served in Iraq, and a dedicated lineman, was killed while working on a roadside utility project in Eden, North Carolina. He died alongside his friends & colleagues: Douglas Garland Sides, a veteran lineman of 72; Madison Carter, a young father of 32; and William Evans, a devoted family man of 35. Three other members of their crew were seriously injured, their lives forever altered.

They were husbands, sons, brothers, fathers, and friends. They were the people working in all weather, at all hours, to keep our lights on, our communications running, and our state moving forward. They were serving us. And they deserved to come home safely to their loved ones. Their loss was a devastating, PREVENTABLE tragedy that highlights the urgent dangers faced by thousands of North Carolinians who work just inches from speeding traffic every single day.

We cannot let their sacrifices be in vain. We cannot wait for another family to endure this agony.

That is why, with heavy hearts but fierce determination, we have worked tirelessly to develop Mattie's Law (The Matthew Lockwood Roadside Worker Protection Act). This isn't just another piece of paper; it's a comprehensive, common-sense, and carefully crafted plan to make a profound and lasting difference in roadside worker safety across our state.

Mattie's Law is a promise—a promise to protect those who protect us. Here’s what it will do:

Create Truly Safer Work Sites: It mandates life-saving physical barriers (like mobile crash barriers or special safety trucks) between workers and all potential points of vehicle incursion—not just orange cones. It requires smart technology, including sensors to detect danger, alert devices for every worker, giving them precious time to react. A Certified Work Zone Safety Manager will be required on every site, accountable for these protections.
Demand Real Driver Accountability: It imposes much stricter penalties, including new felony charges, for reckless, impaired, or dangerous driving that harms a worker in a work zone.  NC is currently weak on crimes committed in work zones and ones committed without a license.

Crucially, it also expands driver education to ensure everyone understands the critical importance of caution around these vulnerable areas.

Provide Compassionate Support for Families: It establishes the Mattie Relief Fund, a dedicated resource to offer immediate financial assistance, counseling services, and vital support services—guided by a Family Liaison Officer—to families shattered by work zone incidents. This is the support our families wish had existed.

Ensure Fairness for North Carolina Businesses: Recognizing that enhanced safety has costs, Mattie's Law provides significant support for businesses, especially small contractors. This includes extended compliance timelines to acquire new equipment, access to grants and low-interest loans, and an innovative state-administered equipment leasing program to make safety affordable. This entire law is designed to be funded responsibly through specific user fees (like on commercial vehicles and work zone violations), NOT by raising general taxes on the public.

Your Signature is Their Shield.

The North Carolina General Assembly needs to hear from every single one of us. Your signature on this petition is more than just a name; it's a powerful voice added to a growing chorus demanding immediate action. It tells our lawmakers that the people of North Carolina value the lives of these dedicated workers. It tells them that the memory of Matthew, Douglas, Madison, and William—and the safety of all who bravely serve on our roadsides—must be honored with this meaningful, life-saving change.

Don't wait for another headline, another funeral, another family devastated. Stand with us. Help us ensure that every single worker who heads out to serve our communities can return home safely to their loved ones at the end of their shift.

Below is a copy of the full working draft 0.6.5.1 as of 6-23-25.  We believe this to be one of final legislative draft prior to going before the general assembly.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XQ1LhRgIyDYpCIDXzZya8_3udGRhC16rXakZAdkUgZw/edit?usp=sharing