The North Carolina State Highway Patrol gave a convicted rapist my full home address. I’m now afraid for my family’s safety.  

In the state of North Carolina, when you are involved in a car accident, the Highway Patrol (NCHP) puts your full home address on the driver exchange form (DEF). This is an extremely dangerous practice. Emotions often run high following a car accident, and people can act out in unpredictable ways. Why put people at risk unnecessarily? All one needs to file a claim is the other driver’s contact number and insurance information.

Join me in asking North Carolina to protect the privacy and safety of their drivers. Ask them to remove full addresses from the DEF.

I want this change because it hits home. Last week, with my six year-old son in the car, I was involved in a minor accident.  While we waited for the police to arrive, the driver of the other vehicle rushed to my car, upset and quite confrontational. I was so scared, I rolled up my windows and locked the doors until the police arrived on the scene. Even while the cops managed the situation, he continued to berate and threaten me. I was afraid then, but when I got home and googled his name, I was horrified:

This man had served 10 years in prison for second degree rape, and the cops had just given him a map to my doorstep! This should not happen. NCHP shouldn’t provide a driver’s personal information to others without  consent. They are not doing background checks before doing so, and someone involved may prove to be a violent convicted criminal.  

Please join my family in asking North Carolina to change its statute requiring full home addresses to be included on Driver Information Exchange Forms following vehicle accidents. Please help us make NC safer for everyone.