I was wondering about that myself. We drove out to Durham and passed about the same number. I RARELY see any RPD officers handing out prizes in this area, it's mostly always troopers.
I can't believe the amount of driving awards I saw this weekend from asheville to charlotte I must have seen 30-40 people getting either the pink good driver award or the white excellence in vehicular mobility. That's not including the checkpoint getting onto 321 from 40 or the amount of people getting a free ride in the back of van for all there beer cheer in charlotte. Just glad I was the DD.
Guys, if they try to flag you down to give you the award, just keep driving. It's really not worth wasting your time pulling over. I hear they give better ones the more you decline the original award.