Transition Year students at St Mary’s Secondary School Macroom pictured in 2019 at the inaugural Virtual Reality ‘Your Life – Your Choice’ road safety programme. The initiative, developed by Cork County Council, which simulates what it is like to be a passenger in a fatal crash has received gold at the Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2021 in Brussels. Picture: Clare KeoghCork County Council has won a prestigious European Road Safety Award.
The council's education programme "Your Life - Your Choice" has won gold at the Excellence in Road Safety Awards in Brussels.
The virtual reality programme simulates what it is like to be involved in a fatal crash.
The programme has since been rolled out across the country, reaching over 10,000 students.
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan welcomed the award, saying:
“It is fantastic to see Cork County Council being recognised at a European level. This programme is a perfect example of how technology is helping to change people’s behaviour and make our roads safer. It allows drivers to experience a road traffic accident in a safe way. We have to be innovative, work together and learn from each other if we are to continue to reduce the number of fatalities on our roads.”
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey added,
“The Virtual Reality programme is targeted at younger drivers, aged 16 to 25 who are among the most vulnerable road users. We know that passenger fatalities are highest in this age group. The VR headsets put the young person in the passenger seat so they can experience the reality of a serious crash. The most important factor for us is that 88% of participants said they would change their attitude and behaviour after taking part in this programme. They began thinking about speeding, the use of mobile phones, wearing a seatbelt and driver distraction.”
