Australasia’s premier road safety award recognising exemplary innovation and effectiveness to save lives and injuries on roads has been awarded to a project delivered by the Queensland Government to expedite road trauma reductions on the Bruce Highway.
The 3M-ACRS Diamond Road Safety Award was presented by the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Michael McCormack MP, the Australasian College of Road Safety President, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM, and Mr Cade Turner representing 3M Australia.
The award ceremony was attended by over 550 of Australasia’s foremost road safety professionals and advocates last night at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.
ACRS President, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM, said “Our 2015 winner represented by David Bobbermen from the Queensland Government, demonstrates an effective and innovative approach to reducing road trauma on the 1600kms of the Bruce Highway.
“The project saw the rapid implementation of a range of key road safety treatments including the widening of the centre line for one third of the highway, with the saving of 30 lives per year.
“The Queensland Government is being congratulated through this award for driving such a transformative project involving around 100 team members.
“This formula to produce such a rapid roll-out of effective life saving improvements is expected to be used across our region.
“The benefits of this safety legacy will be felt by our entire society for many years to come.”
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 (29 in total) and Highly Commended (4) winners this year.
Highly Commended winners for 2015 were also presented their awards last night:
- Mr Peter Frazer, President, Safer Australian Roads And Highways (SARAH) for the “2015 Yellow Ribbon National Road Safety Week”
- Mr Chris Fullelove, Transmax Pty Ltd, for the “Emergency Vehicle Pre-Emption Project”
- Senior Constable Sarah Grayson, Qld Police, for the “Stay on Track Outback Project”, and
- Mr Rod Hannifey from Truckright, for the “Truckright, Trucks, and Road Safety Project”
“In 2010, 3M took the pledge of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, and it was clear that we could do more”, said Cade Turner, Sales & Marketing Manager, 3M Australia.
“Our commitment to improving, protecting and saving lives extends far beyond our products and technologies.
“We are a company driven by the passion to improve every life through our unique approach to innovation.
“This 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 New Orleans, USA, and will also visit 3M Global Headquarters & Innovation Center in St Paul, Minnesota.