This is a game-changer!
When David Price got his license at 16, he, like most teens, was excited. However, after he finished celebrating, his parents sat him down at the kitchen table to have “the talk” before gifting him with his new car. This conversation isn’t unusual. For many Black youths, preparation for driving comes in multiple steps, the first being run of the mill safe driving tips, the second, distressing instructions about the dangers of driving while Black. Price told Because of Them We Can this talk sparked the idea for The Safety Pouch, a storage device that aims to make interactions between civilians and police safer and more efficient.
“[I remember] having the conversation, I was thinking to myself that there must be something available to help facilitate this interaction between law enforcement and civilians. After we were done talking, I did some research to find products to help with this, but I was unable to find products that would be safe for both law enforcement and drivers to interact with,” Price told BOTWC.
Price, now 19-years-old, said the pouch allows you to keep all of your vehicle documents and identifications secure in one place. During routine traffic stops, you can easily clip the device to the exterior of the window from inside your car, allowing officers easy access to all the information they need while ensuring minimal movement and greater visibility inside the vehicle.
Photo Courtesy of The Safety Pouch
He said he had all but forgot about the idea until his freshman year at Loyola University in New Orleans. He was enrolled in a business seminar course and tasked with creating a product or service that would help change society at large. He brought his idea to life, and at the end of the semester, his professor connected him with other resources and encouraged him to get the concept to market.
According to The Safety Pouch, studies show that Black drivers are almost 20% more likely to be stopped by police. And unfortunately, three times more likely to be killed in a police encounter than white Americans, a situation Price hopes the pouch can deter. It currently comes in one color, fluorescent orange, and has received mostly positive reviews thus far. He has recently gained national attention after being featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show and Nightline and has caught the eye of celebrities such as Tina Knowles-Lawson, Holly Robinson Pete, and Erykah Badu.
Photo Courtesy of The Safety Pouch
“We have seen overall positive responses from people all across the board: from law enforcement, everyday drivers, and state politicians. The New Orleans police department current chief of police and previous chief of police have both stated that this product would help make traffic stops much safer for both drivers and law enforcement,” Price told BOTWC. “Our biggest success [thus far is] organic growth. We used very limited marketing resources in the beginning of our launch. We saw a huge demand for the pouch and also our mission.”
Photo Courtesy of The Safety Pouch
While he has had his share of negative interactions with the police, he hopes his creation can help minimize those in the future and foster safer and more efficient exchanges. Price told BOTWC that he hopes to see The Safety Pouch in every American vehicle, particularly vehicles owned by people of color. He looks forward to one day partnering with car manufacturers to include the pouch in every new car and work to develop training with police departments nationwide, with the goal of safety first.
“Safety, to me, means being aware, planning, and taking action. By that I mean we first need to be aware of what the issue is. Then, we need to think about what is causing the issue and creating a plan to solve it. Next, after we’ve figured out our plan, we then have to act,” Price said. “Those were the steps I followed when creating my business to help bring change to society. It is important that we not only bring awareness. but to also take action against the political and racial issues in our country.”
For more information or to purchase The Safety Pouch, visit their website here.
Thank you for using your innovative spirit for the protection of us all!
Photo Courtesy of The Safety Pouch