Nominations for ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ 2014

Leading Lights in Road Safety are often people who establish a great road safety initiative. However for driving instructors it is unfortunately not run the same way.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) today announced the call for nominations in their annual ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. Now in its seventh year, the awards recognise and honour the contribution made by people nationwide to reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads. The RSA is calling on communities all over Ireland to nominate their ‘Leading Lights’  – someone who campaigns, educates and is committed to improving road safety in their community. Nominations are now open for the Road Safety Authority Leading Lights awards to recognise the work of committed volunteers, businesses and organisations. Details of how to enter your nomination in the ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards are available on www.rsa.ie/leadinglights. This year you can enter your nomination online, by e-mail or by post.

Announcing the call for entries, Mr Gay Byrne, Chairman, Road Safety Authority said:

“Over the past few years, the judging panel and I have had the pleasure of reviewing the entries sent in from all over the country to our annual ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. And every year, we have the same problem – how to pick just one winner. Because the truth is, every entry deserves to be recognised for the efforts made to keep our roads safe.”

“These extraordinary people around the country do this, not for themselves, but for their communities, their students, their colleagues and their friends, so that we all can share the benefits of safer roads. So if you know someone that has made an extraordinary effort to promote road safety, or if you are one of those people, enter this year’s Awards so that we can honour the great work that you do.”

Last year’s ‘Supreme Award’ winner, Gertie Shields said:

“I was delighted and honoured in December 2013 when my name was put forward for a ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Award for my work in trying to make the road a safer place for everybody. My daughter Paula was killed in 1983 by a drunk driver, as were five of her friends. We fought hard for many years for any kind of improvement in legislation and I feel we were successful. If you know someone who is working hard in the area of road safety, please put their name forward for a Leading Lights award.”

Awards will be presented to businesses, educational institutes, media, community groups, and public services who have demonstrated a commitment to keeping the roads free from tragedy. Entries will be accepted in each of the following categories:

•Education Award ◦Pre-primary
◦Primary School Education
◦Secondary School Education
◦Special School Education
◦Third Level / Further Education
◦Community Education

•Business Category
•Public Sector
•Emergency Services
•Local Media Award
•National Media Award
•Road Safety Officer of the Year
•Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) of the Year (Car, Motorcycle, Bus and Truck)
•CPC Trainer of the Year
•CPC Training Organisation of the Year

One of the category award winners will be chosen by the panel to receive the Supreme Award. This will be presented to an individual or group that has demonstrated the most innovative and creative initiative to promote safer road use. The winner of the Supreme Award will be announced at the awards ceremony in Farmleigh, Phoenix Park on Wednesday 10 December 2014.

The judging panel for the Awards will be announced shortly. Entries to this year’s awards are currently being accepted and the closing date for entries is Monday 27 October at 5pm.

Further information on the criteria for submitting an award, the categories for this year’s awards and how to submit an entry for this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ are available at www.rsa.ie/leadinglights.

Category: RSA Press Release