RSA honours Maura Moore-McCune with Top Accolade at 2025 Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards

honouring individuals and organisations for their outstanding commitment and dedication to road safety

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has named Maura Moore-McCune as the overall winner of the Gertie Shields Supreme Award at the 2025 Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards, held today in Croke Park, Dublin.

The Gertie Shields Supreme Award is the highest honour presented by the RSA and recognises individuals or organisations whose work has had a significant and lasting impact on road safety in Ireland. Maura was selected by the judging panel for her leadership in innovation and research, and for her sustained commitment to making roads safer for vulnerable road users.

Maura, who is visually impaired, was recognised for her pioneering research developing VIPMOD (Vision Impaired Person’s Moving Object Detector), a machine-learning based system using smart glasses and mobile technology to detect fast-moving vehicles and their speed for vision impaired pedestrians. Her work addresses the heightened collision risk faced by vision impaired people and has the potential to significantly improve their safety and independence on our roads.

Now in its sixteenth year, the Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards celebrate the people, projects and partnerships across the country that are working to prevent deaths and serious injuries on our roads, from schools and community groups to employers, local authorities, media and road safety professionals.

Addressing the attendees at the awards ceremony, Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, Seán Canney T.D said: “These awards shine a light on the individuals and organisations who go above and beyond to improve safety on our roads. Their actions - big and small - demonstrate what true commitment to road safety looks like. They show leadership, compassion and determination at a time when it is needed more than ever.”

Commenting on the awards, Anne Graham, Chairperson of the RSA, said: “The RSA is committed to working every day to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads. But we cannot do it alone. We need every driver, every pedestrian, every cyclist, every community to play their part. Road safety is a shared responsibility - and a shared opportunity to protect lives. I commend Maura Moore-McCune, winner of the Gertie Shields Supreme Award. Her work has had a significant and lasting impact on road safety in Ireland. Maura and all of today’s winners show us what is possible when people come together with determination and care.”

This year’s winners reflect the wide range of activity taking place to improve road safety nationwide. The University of Limerick Smarter Travel programme received the Best Employer-Led Award for its work encouraging safer, more sustainable travel among staff and students, while Páistí Scoil na bhForbacha was recognised with the Best School Initiative Award for its creative and engaging approach to road safety education for children.

In the media category, the Gay Byrne Media Award went to Alex Rowley, Newstalk, for coverage that highlighted the real-life impact of collisions and promoted safer road use. Irish School of Excellence received the Vulnerable Road User Award for its targeted work to protect those most at risk on the roads, and Claire Mc Caul was named Youth Road Safety Champion, reflecting the growing leadership role of young people in road safety advocacy.

Special Recognition awards were presented to Declan Keogh, Kerry County Council, for the ‘Safer Roads’ Road Safety Conference, Ciarán Collins, a volunteer member of An Garda Síochána Reserve, who created a road safety video focused on distracted driving, created in collaboration with Garda Síochána, and Scoil na mBuachaillí Clonakilty, for their significant contributions to improving road safety at local and regional level.

The Approved Driving Instructor Award went to Thomas Tynan from Tipperary, while the Certificate of Professional Competence Award went to Alan McMahon from Monaghan.

The Leading Lights in Road Safety Awards 2025 were presented in the following categories:

• Best Employer-Led Award: University of Limerick Smarter Travel
• Best School Initiative Award: Páistí Scoil na bhForbacha
• Gay Byrne Media Award: Alex Rowley, Newstalk
• Innovation & Research Award: Maura Moore-McCune
• Vulnerable Road User Award: Irish School of Excellence
• Youth Road Safety Champion Award: Claire Mc Caul
• Approved Driving Instructor Award: Thomas Tynan
• Certificate of Professional Competence Award: Alan McMahon
• Special Recognition:

- Declan Keogh, Kerry County Council - ‘Safer Roads’ Road Safety Conference

- Ciarán Collins

- Scoil na mBuachaillí Clonakilty  

• Gertie Shields Supreme Award: Maura Moore-McCune