RSA calling for nominations to ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is calling on the people of Meath to submit nominations to the national ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards which are returning this year following a two-year absence due to Covid-19.

The awards recognise a group or individual who campaigns, educates, and is committed to improving road safety in their locality and across Ireland, and honours the significant contribution made by people and organisations nationwide in reducing deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads.

Nominations are now open and can be submitted online on the Leading Lights webpage on RSA.ie. Entries are encouraged from any individual or group that has made a special contribution to road safety, whether it be big or small, since 2019. Anyone submitting a nomination is encouraged to include relevant background information, such as photos, videos, or other supporting documents to enhance their application. The closing date for entries is Friday, 28th October.

The 2022 awards will see a continued emphasis on alternative modes of transport with the inclusion of a “Sustainable Travel” award category, which recognises a group or individual who has positively influenced a modal shift to sustainable travel. A “Future Award’’ will be given to an individual, business or organisation that displays innovation and forward-thinking in promoting road safety. In addition, the Media Award, which is aimed at all journalists and media groups, has been renamed the “Gay Byrne Media Award’’ in honour of the former broadcaster and RSA Chairperson.

Announcing the call for entries, Ms Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson of the Road Safety Authority said: “I am delighted to announce that the much-anticipated Leading Lights awards are returning this year. In communities across Meath, there are unsung heroes working to make our roads safer. These awards recognise the unique contributions made by volunteers, teachers, students, businesses, public bodies, journalists, and community groups in Ireland to reduce serious injuries and deaths on our roads. We welcome project entries of all shapes and sizes that have made a positive impact on road safety. If you know someone or an organisation that has made a special effort, be it big or small, to promote road safety in your community, I would encourage you to nominate them for this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards so that we can recognise the important work that they do.”

Entries will be accepted in each of the following categories: Road Safety Champion of the Year, Education, Public Sector, Business, Emergency Services, Gay Byrne Media Award, Future Award Sustainable Travel, Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) of the Year, CPC Trainer/Training Organisation of the Year

The winners in each of these categories will go forward and be in with a chance of winning the Gertie Shields Supreme Award in Road Safety for 2022. This award is dedicated to Gertie Shields, an inspirational road safety activist who passed away in 2015 and who won the Supreme Award in 2013 in honour of her campaigns against Drink Driving in Ireland.

The winners of each category will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in Croke Park, Dublin on the 13th of December.

Previous winners of the Gertie Shields include Tipperary woman, Gráinne Kealy, who suffered a brain injury and serious facial injuries in a road traffic collision, and now uses her experience to educate others about road safety, Castletown Girls National School in Co Louth tackled the use of mobile phones by their parents in cars, Richard Alcorn from Donegal who survived a road traffic collision in 2006 and now gives his time freely to delivering road safety messages to young adult.