RSA presents Irish Road Victims’ Association with top prize at annual Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards

• IRVA led by Donna Price was awarded the ‘Gertie Shields Supreme Award’ for its road safety advocacy
• 10 awards were presented to individuals and organisations throughout the ceremony in acknowledgement of their outstanding commitment and dedication to road safety.
  

The National Charity for Road Victims activities, Irish Road Victims’ Association (IRVA) has been awarded the highest honour, the ‘Gertie Shields Supreme Award’ by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) at this year’s Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards ceremony. The group was presented with the award by Sam Waide, Chief Executive Officer, Road Safety Authority, at a ceremony held in Dublin Castle.

IRVA was chosen as the overall winner by the judges in a ceremony at Dublin Castle this afternoon, for its outstanding commitment and tireless efforts to reduce fatalities on Irish roads, along with its continued support for families and loved ones in the aftermath of death or serious injury as a result of a road traffic collision.

IRVA is led by Donna Price, who tragically lost her own son, Darren, following a road crash in 2006. The organisation was set up in 2012 as the National Charity for Road Victims activities, advocating for greater supports for families and loved ones, along with legislative change, and improved investigations and data sharing. Members are available and ready to engage with all stakeholders to help improve the plight of road victims and have been involved in various initiatives such as countrywide talks at road safety events. Recently, Donna was present at the launch of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Status report on road safety in 2023 in which she gave testimonial, alongside the UN Secretary General’s Special envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt.

Commenting on the awards, Sam Waide, RSA Chief Executive Officer, said: "I want to take a moment to sincerely congratulate all of today's winners, whose dedication and tireless efforts have had a profound impact on road safety in Ireland. From raising awareness about dangerous driving to supporting victims and their families, your work continues to inspire and drive change. This year has been incredibly difficult, with too many lives lost on our roads, but your contributions have given us hope and a path forward. In particular, I want to highlight the invaluable work of IRVA, which has not only supported victims and their families but has also been at the forefront of advocating for meaningful change. The RSA will continue to honour the work of all our road safety advocates, working together to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Irish roads. Together, we can make a difference, and together, we will continue to save lives."

The Longford Community Safety partnership the Public Sector category award. It has visited 10 schools across the county, enacting a “kids court” to educate primary school students on road safety and inviting members of the Gardaí to speak to them. Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar was awarded in the Education – Secondary category for its Transition Year programme that sought to educate students on road safety practices, highlighting the dangers of distracted driving to young men in a video that went viral across social media earlier this year.

Additionally, the RSA presented the ‘Gay Byrne Media Award’ to C103 Cork, for two separate initiatives focusing on road safety. Earlier in the year, C103 broadcast the victim impact statements of the family of the late C103 broadcaster, Paudie Palmer, who tragically succumbed to his injuries following a road traffic collision on the 29 December 2022. The broadcaster is also being honoured for its regular segment Garda File, in which members of An Garda Síochána are invited to come on air and advise listeners on road safety. Both initiatives sought to raise awareness about dangerous driving and the devastating consequences of road traffic collisions.

The Leading Light in Road Safety Awards 2024 were presented in the following categories:

• Special Recognition: Midlands 103
• Approved Driving Instructor: Eric Dalton
• CPC Training Organisation: Capital CPC
• Education (Community): Shed 4 Bikers
• Education (Secondary): Coláiste Mhuire Mullingar
• Emergency Services: Monaghan Fire and Civil Protection
• Road Safety Champion: Irish Road Victims’ Association (IRVA)
• Public Sector: The Longford Community Safety Partnership
• Gay Byrne Media Award: C103 Cork
  

The ‘Gertie Shields Supreme Award’ is presented to an individual or group for an innovative and outstanding road safety initiative, or for their leadership and exemplary dedication to the area of road safety. The ‘Gertie Shields Supreme Award’ is so called in honour of the inspirational road safety activist and 2013 recipient of the award, who sadly passed away in 2015. Gertie, who lost her daughter in 1983 when she was killed by a drunk driver, campaigned relentlessly to change attitudes to drink driving in Ireland and through her sustained lobbying of Government, achieved extraordinary strides in road safety legislative and social change.