Australasia’s premier road safety award recognising exemplary innovation and effectiveness to save lives and injuries on roads has been awarded to the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF). The award was presented by the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) Patron, the Governor-General of Australia, His Excellency Sir Peter Cosgrove, at a ceremony attended by over 250 of Australasia’s foremost road safety professionals and advocates last night, at the Grand Hyatt, Melbourne.
ACRS President, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM, said “the winner this year, like our previous winners, demonstrates an effective and innovative approach to a complex issue – cycling safety. The AGF offers collaborative solutions, with a concept which can be used by other road users. Reducing unnecessary road trauma needs many solutions such as those offered so competently by the AGF. The 3M-ACRS Diamond Award recognises so many features of such solutions.”
Judges considered the specific features of the many projects submitted, particularly in terms of innovation in thinking and technology, problem-solving as well as the real benefits in reducing trauma. Cost-effectiveness and transferability to other areas were other key criteria.
Finalists for this hotly-contested award came from many areas. These included new ideas and actions from local and state government groups, collaborative programs led by local and regional police groups, individuals passionately pursuing specific projects to reduce risk, industry associations and transport companies implementing programs with targets to ensure safe operations, news programs, and specific education for specialist groups. These are just a few examples of the successful projects awarded as Finalists (18 in total) and Highly Commended (3) winners this year.
Tracey Gaudry, CEO of the Amy Gillett Foundation says “It is an honour for the Amy Gillett Foundation to be recognised with the 3M-ACRS Diamond Road Safety Award 2014. We are delighted to accept this award for innovation in road safety for Cycle Safe Communities, our online resource that provides bike rider safety campaigns to the community.”
“In Australia we need direct action to improve safety for everyone when they ride their bike; greater awareness and education about how to share roads with people riding bikes can make a tangible difference. The recognition of 3M Global and the Australasian College of Road Safety, is confirmation that the safety of our community that is embracing bike riding for transport, fitness and leisure, is an important priority.”
“The 3M-ACRS Diamond Road Safety Award 2014 provides us with an opportunity to share the Amy Gillett Foundation’s work in support of our collective vision for zero road fatalities.”
Since 3M first pioneered the world’s first retro-reflective sheeting 75 years ago, 3M has remained at the leading edge of traffic safety innovation worldwide. Their commitment to improving, protecting and saving lives extends far beyond our products and technologies. 3M are a company driven by the passion to improve every life through our unique approach to innovation.
Mr Marino Mysetgniotis, General Manager 3M Safety, says “This 3M-ACRS Diamond Road Safety Award is modelled on that process – creating an environment where innovative ideas can come together, be shared, collaborated, celebrated, and most importantly, replicated in other regions or capacities to make a much bigger impact on road safety.”
The team leader from the winning project will travel to the USA to attend and present their project at America’s largest road safety conference in Tampa, Florida, and 3M Headquarters in Minnesota to learn about 3M’s innovation in road safety.
