Residential
By leaving garage doors open, residents take the unnecessary and much avoidable risk of losing valuable items. Tools, golf clubs, unlocked vehicles and bicycles are left in clear view to criminals. By simply closing and securing your garage door you eliminate the risk of being an easy target.

                       1) Keep your garage door closed in the evening and at night.
                       2) Lock your doors and windows when you are not home and whenever possible when in residence.
                       3) If you have a residential alarm, use it.
                       4) If you plan to be out of town for vacation, sign up for the vacation house watch program.
                       5) Keep an eye out for suspicious or unusual activity.
                       6) Call 911 immediately if you witness a crime or something suspicious.

Business
Leaving back doors or storage room access doors open could produce a greater risk of your business becoming a victim of burglary.

                       1) Make sure all doors and windows are secure in your business before closing for the day.
                       2) Don't keep large sums of money in your safe and don't leave the combination written down. 
                       3) Only allow approved authorized personnel to have access to the safe.
                       4) Ensure the alarm system and security camera system are functioning properly.

Property Theft
From Vehicles/Residents: We advise residents to remove valuables from unattended vehicles and to make sure vehicles are locked at all times. Leaving items such as an iPod or a GPS device is an open invitation for someone to break into your car and steal them.

                      1) Remove valuables from your vehicles and lock your doors.
                      2) Park in a well-lit area.
                      3) Keep an eye out for suspicious or unusual activity.
                      4) Call 911 immediately if you witness a crime or something suspicious.

The number one reason vehicles are broken into in Carolina Beach is because owners fail to lock their doors.  After you lock them, check the handles to make sure the are secure.

From the Beach Strand: We advise residents to limit the personal items brought to the beach and only take what you really need.  Don't leave your belongings unattended while everyone in your group is enjoying swimming in the ocean. 

TIP: Take pictures of your belongings and record the serial numbers. The easiest way to do this is to email yourself pictures and serial numbers in case your items are stolen it will help in the investigation to have serial numbers and photos.

Tips to Help Prevent Golf Cart Theft:

Store your golf cart in securely locked garages or sheds
Install security lights around the commonly used storage location
Keep it covered when not in use
Do not leave it running while unattended
Take detailed photographs of it
Know all of the identifiable information for your golf cart: serial number, make, model
Consider adding an anti-theft device or a theft recovery device
Install and use a unique starter key
Install a hidden kill switch
Install a GPS tracker
When not in operation, use any of the following: Pedal Lock, Steering wheel lock, Wheel boot

Register Your Bicycle with Carolina Beach Police Department
You can register your bicycle by calling us or completing the online form. You will need the following information:

• Bicycle Serial Number  
• Bicycle Boys/Girls
• Bicycle Make
• Bicycle Color
• Bicycle Model

 Locking and Securing Your Bicycle

• Mark your bicycle. Engraving,  tape, paint and other means  to personalize your bicycle. Take a photograph of your bicycle and keep it for your records.
• Lock your bicycle to a fixed object such as a bike rack, sturdy sign (if permitted) or tall heavy duty pole. Small trees, aluminum, wooded posts or chain link fences can be easily broken or cut.
• Always secure your bicycle in a visible and well-lit area.
• If the bicycle is being stored in a garage, ensure that the garage is closed when not in use.
• Avoid keeping bicycles outside overnight.
• Once your bicycle is locked, remove any valuable/detachable items from your bike (light, helmets, and odometers).
• A U-lock or U-lock and cable lock combination is recommended when securing your bicycle.

What to do if your bicycle is lost or stolen

• Have your bicycle information ready (make, model, color, serial number, registration number etc.)
• Call the Non-Emergency line 910-452-6120 or come to the Carolina Beach Police Department to file a report if the bike was lost or stolen within Carolina Beach.

Fraud & Identity Theft
Use caution when selling, buying or renting items from Craigslist. Verify the place exists prior to renting.  If the offer sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Never give out your personal information or bank information over email, phone, etc to an unknown person without verifying their identity.


National Consumer’s League Fraud Center. Good site for information about fraud, scams, etc.

National Fraud Information Center - Links for elderly fraud, telemarketing fraud, internet fraud with online complaint form.

Fraud prevention information including fraud tests, videos, and prevention tips.

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse for consumer information with link for ID Theft victims.  

Federal Trade Commission website complaint page. 

North Carolina Attorney General’s website page for ID theft.

You should check your credit report annually, to obtain a free report go to Annual Credit Report.

Have the latest fraud scams emailed to you through the NC Attorney General's office.

 

Click here for the Guide to North Carolina Bicycle and Pedestrian Laws

     

               
Safe Riding Tips

 

•   Wear a Properly Fitted Bicycle Helmet. Protect your brain, save your life.
•   Adjust Your Bicycle to Fit. Stand over your bicycle. There should be 1 to 2 inches between you and the top tube (bar) if using a road bike and 3 to 4 inches if a mountain bicycle. The seat should be level front to back. The seat height should be adjusted to allow a slight bend at the knee when the leg is fully extended. The handlebar height should be at the same level with the seat.
•   Check Your Equipment. Before riding, inflate tires properly and check that your brakes work.
•   See and Be Seen. Whether daytime, dawn, dusk, foul weather, or at night, you need to be seen by others. Wearing white has not been shown to make you more visible. Always wear neon, fluorescent, or other bright colors when riding day or night. Also wear something that reflects light, such as reflective tape or markings, or flashing lights. Remember, just because you can see a driver doesn’t mean the driver can see you.
•   Control Your Bicycle. Always ride with at least one hand on the handlebars. Carry books and other items in a bicycle carrier or backpack. 
•   Watch for and Avoid Road Hazards. Be on the lookout for hazards such as potholes, broken glass, gravel, puddles, leaves, and dogs. All these hazards can cause a crash. If you are riding with friends and you are in the lead, yell out and point to the hazard to alert the riders behind you.
•   Avoid Riding at Night. It is far more dangerous to ride at night than during the day because you are harder for others to see. If you have to ride at night, wear something that makes you more easily seen by others. Make sure you have reflectors on the front and rear of your bicycle (white lights on the front and red rear reflectors are required by law in many States).

                                  Rules of the Road – Bicycling on the Road                            

Bicycles in many States are considered vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and the same responsibilities to follow the rules of the road as motorists. When riding, always:

• Go With the Traffic Flow. Ride on the right in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow – not against it.
• Obey All Traffic Laws. A bicycle is a vehicle and you’re a driver. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.
• Yield to Traffic When Appropriate. Almost always, drivers on a smaller road must yield (wait) for traffic on a major or larger road. If there is no stop sign or traffic signal and you are coming from a smaller roadway (out of a driveway, from a sidewalk, a bike path, etc.), you must slow down and look to see if the way is clear before proceeding. This also means yielding to pedestrians who have already entered a crosswalk. 
• Be Predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others. 
• Stay Alert at All Times. Use your eyes AND ears. Watch out for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, storm grates, railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; don’t wear a headset when you ride. 
• Look Before Turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left- or right-turning traffic.
• Watch for Parked Cars. Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).

 Sidewalk versus Street Riding

The safest place for bicycle riding is on the street, where bicycles are expected to follow the same rules of the road as motorists and ride in the same direction.

• Children less than 10 years old, however, are not mature enough to make the decisions necessary to safely ride in the street. 
• Children less than 10 years old are better off riding on the sidewalk.
• For anyone riding on a sidewalk: 
  • Check the law in your State or jurisdiction to make sure sidewalk riding is allowed.
  • Watch for vehicles coming out of or turning into driveways.
  • Stop at corners of sidewalks and streets to look for cars and to make sure the drivers see you before crossing. 
  • Enter a street at a corner and not between parked cards.

To select and properly fit a bicycle helmet, follow the helmet fitting instructions below.
Step 1 - Size: 
Measure your head for approximate size. Try the helmet on to ensure it fits snuggly. While it is sitting flat on top of your head, make sure the helmet doesn’t rock side to side.

Step 2 - Position: 
The helmet should sit level on your head and low on your forehead—one or two finger-widths above your eyebrow.

Step 3 - Buckles: 
Center the left buckle under the chin. On most helmets, the straps can be pulled from the back of the helmet to lengthen or shorten the chin straps. This task is easier if you take the helmet off to make these adjustments.

Step 4 - Side Straps: 
Adjust the slider on both straps to form a “V” shape under, and slightly in front of, the ears. Lock the slider if possible.

Step 5 - Chin Strap: 
Buckle your chin strap. Tighten the strap until it is snug, so that no more than one or two fingers fit under the strap.

Step 6 - Final Fitting:

1. Does your helmet fit right? Open your mouth wide…big yawn! The helmet should pull down on the head. If not, refer back to step 5 and tighten the chin strap. 
2. Does your helmet rock back more than two fingers above the eyebrows? If so, unbuckle, shorten the front strap by moving the slider forward. Buckle, retighten the chin strap, and test again.
3. Does your helmet rock forward into your eyes? If so, unbuckle, tighten the back strap by moving the slider back toward the ear. Buckle, retighten the chin strap, and test again.
4. Roll the rubber band down to the buckle. All four straps must go through the rubber band and be close to the buckle to prevent the buckle from slipping.

For additional information please visit the National Highway Transportation Security Administration.

School Bus Laws & Safety

North Carolina School Bus Stop Law

Two-lane roadway - ALL traffic from both directions must stop.

Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane - ALL traffic from both directions must stop.

Four-lane roadway without a median separation - ALL traffic from both directions must stop.

Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation - ONLY the traffic following the bus must stop.

Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane - ONLY traffic following the bust must stop.

Reporting a School Bus Law Violation

Penalty for Passing a Stopped School Bus
Class 1 Misdemeanor (violation of NCGS 20-217(a)) with a minimum fine of $500, which may not be disposed of by entry of a prayer for judgment continued. Court appearance is mandatory for such charges. Five driver's license points are assigned to a conviction if the driver was operating a noncommercial motor vehicle and eight points if the person was driving a commercial vehicle.  Four insurance points apply which is an 80% increase in insurance rates.

If a driver strikes a person it is a Class I felony with a minimum fine of $1,250, if it results in death of the person they are guilty of a Class H felony with a minimum fine of $2,500.