More than 1,000 students across Ireland, including MSc students from Maynooth University, engaged in a potentially lifesaving project as part of the Road Safety Reimagined initiative, highlighting the lifelong and potentially devastating impact of a moment’s distraction behind the wheel.
Research from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in 2023 found that nearly one in 10 Irish drivers have been caught using their phones while driving. In response, Road Safety Reimagined tasked students from Maynooth University, University of Limerick, South East Technological University, University of Galway, and University College Cork to reimagine road safety through contemporary marketing concepts and develop solutions to positively impact driving behaviour.
At a showcase and awards event, which took place in the University of Limerick on April 22nd, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris presented awards for the top entries from each participating university as well as the winners of the overall prize and special categories.
Speaking at the event, Commissioner Drew Harris said: “Road Safety Reimagined provides a great opportunity for so many students to engage with such an important topic, and one which is so relevant to you all gathered here in this room.
“By merging these ideas, our campaign highlights the deadly consequences of distracted driving and urges drivers to make safer choices behind the wheel.”
“It opens up conversations around road safety and helps us to reach those who often struggle to connect with this key message.
“Too often we see tragedy on the roads, and so, anything we can do to prevent this from happening An Garda Síochána is glad to support.
With engaging submissions exploring the impact of everything from applying makeup behind the wheel to being distracted by passengers, it was a concept developed around the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving that claimed the overall winning prize.
Bearing the striking tagline ‘Worst passenger? Your phone’, the winning concept, created by UL students Fintan O’Kelly, Clodagh O’Meara, Esther Olaoye, Evan O’Neill, Callum O’Leary, Keira O’Neill, Ailbhe O’Loughlin, Molly O’Neill, and Cian O Mahony, highlights the dangers of using a phone while driving, taking a driver’s eyes, hands and focus away from the road.
The overall winning team said: “Many drivers believe they can multitask, but divided attention slows reaction time and increases risk, endangering not only themselves but also passengers, pedestrians, and other road users.”
The winning Maynooth University entry also used the concept of the mobile phone to highlight the potentially deadly distraction its use while driving can cause. Bearing the tagline “Dying to pick up the phone?”, it combines a play on words with the familiar imagery of a phone screen receiving a call (pictured below) to draw attention to how mobile phones are a major cause of distracted driving among young drivers.
Praising the variety and creativity of the submissions, Commissioner Harris added: “Engaging these talented young people in devising a marketing campaign around road safety which is aimed at their peers was a novel idea, and to see this initiative go from strength to strength is a credit to all those involved.
“This work provides us with such valuable insights and showcases the great many creative and innovative ways we can connect with those most at risk on our roads.”
Dr Christina O’Connor, Associate Professor in Marketing at UL who coordinated the Road Safety Reimagined initiative along with Sergeant Tony Miniter of the Limerick Roads Policing Unit, stressed the importance of engaging with Ireland’s young road users.
“This year the Road Safety Reimagined Initiative engaged with over 1,000 students across five Irish Universities. This directly equates to 1,000 learner drivers or new drivers on our roads over the coming years. We have an opportunity to change the mindset and the behaviour of these road users through this initiative, which was embedded within their respective business lectures. It has been a fantastic challenge for all involved, and the impact of this work is lifesaving.”
A highlight of Road Safety Reimagined, now in its third year, is the presentation of the Oisin Crotty Road Safety Inspiration Award, sponsored by ESB. This year’s award was jointly presented to Keith Mullane, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer for the Mid-West National Ambulance Service and John Lyons, Station Officer at Rathkeale Fire and Rescue Station, in recognition of their outstanding contribution to road safety education.
With almost 50 years of combined experience with the ambulance service and fire and rescue service respectively, Keith and John have been heavily involved in the Lifesaver Project – an initiative which aims to highlight the reality of road safety, particularly targeted at students and young people.