Awards recognising major contributions to road safety both locally and globally were announced last week
The Australian College of Road Safety (ACRS) has recognised three road safety professionals for their work at its award ceremony last week.
Held at the Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC 2023) in Cairns, Dr Verity Truelove, Jessica Truong and Martin Small were given awards for their research, community engagement and a commitment for change.
Assistant transport minister Carol Brown acknowledges the exceptional work from the three winners to drive change both locally and globally.
“Road safety is a matter that affects all Australians, each and every day,” she says.
“I thank you all for your contributions to road safety. I understand that a career in road safety is complex, challenging, and at times, confronting.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility, and I am confident that together we can reach our target of vision zero by 2050.”
Brown presented all three awards, supported by ACRS president Ann Williamson.
Truelove was awarded the Young Leader Oration Award, which recognises inspiring work and potential for future leadetship in the road safety field.
A senior research fellow at the Road Safety Research Collaboration (RSRC), Truelove is involved in research projects that address road rule compliance and behavioural changes in drivers.
This includes a focus on distracted or impaired driving and speeding.
Truong was awarded the Women in Road Safety Award, which recognises the valuable role that women play within the road safety field.
The secretary general at the Towards Zero Foundation in London, Truong led the #50by30 campaign, a key advocacy campaign aimed at the United Nations Resolution on Improving Global Road Safety 2020.
Small meanwhile was awarded the Fellowship Award, which recognises exemplary contribution made by an ACRS member to road safety.
Working across road networks in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and South-East Asia, Small has spent his career providing policy and technical advice to improve road safety globally.
He was the former president of the ACRS between 2019-2022, and remains on the ACRS executive council to this day.