13 March 2012
RSA Rewards Schoolchildren’s Commitment To Road Safety
Tuesday 13 March 2012: At one of the most important road safety events of the year, 231 schoolchildren from ten primary schools around the country were rewarded today for their efforts to improve road safety. The Road Safety Authority’s Annual ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ and ‘Hi Glo Silver’ Awards were presented to the children at a ceremony in Dublin Castle, recognising the outstanding contribution they have made to keeping Ireland’s roads safe.
The awards ceremony was attended by Mr Alan Kelly TD, Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport with Responsibility for Public and Commuter Transport who commended the children for their creativity and commitment to road safety.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, he said: “Today’s awards ceremony is one of the most important events in the road safety calendar as it recognises the commitment of young people to making our roads safer and ultimately saving lives. Through your creativity and hard work, you have shown just what can be achieved when we all make road safety a vital part of our behaviour. For that, I thank you and your teachers for your support and encourage you to keep up this life-saving behaviour.”
Mr Noel Brett, Chief Executive, RSA said: “Since 2004, over 55,000 classes around the country have taken part in these programmes and this has undoubtedly helped to keep even more people safe on our roads. Children are among our most vulnerable road-users so we all have a responsibility as parents and educators to make sure they develop good road safety skills at an early age. Programmes like ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ and ‘Hi Glo Silver’ work because they are engaging and fun, and they make it easy for children to learn about road safety.”
Mr Brett also congratulated the children for their initiative and creativity in promoting the road safety message: “The excellent example set by these children for every road user in the country on how to be road safety aware by wearing ones seatbelt and ensuring everyone in the car is, and wearing high visibility clothing when out walking or cycling has meant that other road users are now safer on the roads.” Mr Brett also extended his thanks on behalf of every road user in the country to the students, teachers and parents for helping to keep people safe on the roads.
The competition is now in its eighth year and encourages children to learn road safety skills such as buckling up and wearing high visibility clothing. James O’Sullivan, Laverne Ryan, Wiktoriah Wysomierska and Sophie Cosgrave from 1st Class in Scoil Chaitriona, Cappamore, Co. Limerick took first prize in the ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ competition for their poster, ‘Don’t be a Casper, Be a Fastener’.
Winners of the Seatbelt Sheriff competition; James O’Sullivan, Laverne Ryan, Wiktoriah Wysomierska and Sophie Cosgrave from 1st Class in Scoil Chaitriona, Cappamore, Co. Limerick for their poster, ‘Don’t be a Casper, Be a Fastener’.
The students from 2nd Class in Scoil Naomh Bríd, Killougher, Redhills, Co. Cavan took first prize in the ‘Hi-Glo Silver’ competition for their poster, ‘Be Wise, Be Bright, Let Others See the Light’.
Winners of the Hi Glo Silver competition; Naomh Bríd, Killougher, Redhills, Co. Cavan for their poster, ‘Be Wise, Be Bright, Let Others See the Light’.
Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid, An Garda Síochána said: “An Garda Síochána is committed to supporting any initiative that helps our younger road-users to learn vital road safety skills. I congratulate all of the students here today on their fantastic work, and urge parents and teachers around the country to build on the work being done in schools and at home by demonstrating safe and responsible road use at all times.”
Hundreds of entries were received for the ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ and ‘Hi-Glo Silver’ competitions. In the ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ competition, the runners up were: Tadhg McInerney, Clooney National School, Tulla, Co. Clare; 1st Class in Nagle Rice Primary School, Killarney, Co. Kerry; Michael Shanahan, Dromclough National School, Listowel, Co. Kerry; and Cassie Phelan, Newtown National School, Newtown, Co. Waterford.
In the ‘Hi-Glo Silver’ competition, the runners up were: Aoibheann McQuaid and Matthew McQuaid, Scoil Náisiúnta Iorball Sionnaigh, Scotstown, Co. Monaghan; Chloe Doyle, Scoil Molaise, Old Leighlin, Co. Carlow; Kayleigh Cúipéir, Scoil Oilbheir, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15; and Siún Smith, St Killian’s National School, Kells, Co. Meath.
‘Seatbelt Sheriff’ and ‘Hi-Glo Silver’ are fun, educational road safety programmes for children in first and second class in primary school. Children in first class become ‘Seatbelt Sheriffs’ by taking a pledge to wear their seatbelts and making sure that everyone else in the car is buckled up too. Once they become ‘Seatbelt Sheriffs’, they can flash their sheriff’s badge so that everyone they’re travelling with knows that they must wear their seatbelts.
After becoming honorary ‘Seatbelt Sheriffs’ in first class, ‘Hi-Glo Silver’ encourages second class students to wear bright clothing when they are out walking or cycling. They will pledge to wear jackets, armbands or belts and remind their parents, family and friends to do the same. Just like becoming a ‘Seatbelt Sheriff’, pupils will receive a certificate that gives them the power to instruct everyone when they walk or cycle to wear safety gear.
Further information on the Road Safety Authority’s Seatbelt Sheriff and Hi-Glo Silver campaigns is available at www.seatbeltsheriff.ie.
For further information, please contact:
RSA Communications Office, Ballina: 096 25008