Seat Belt Sheriff's lauded for their road safety commitment

Over 150,000 children have taken part in a national competition launched 10 years ago that encourages them to stay safe on the roads.

The Road Safety Authority’s annual Seat Belt Sheriff and Hi Glo Silver awards has been encouraging children to learn vital road safety skills, such as putting on their seatbelt and wearing high-visibility clothing.

Yesterday in Dublin Castle, special awards were given to more than 200 children from 10 primary schools around Ireland in recognition of the outstanding contribution they had made in keeping Ireland’s roads safe.

Children from counties Cavan, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Louth, Tipperary and Waterford were among the winners.

First class students from Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Dundalk, Co Louth, won first prize in the Seatbelt Sheriff competition for their poster — Travel far in your car but mind your health, wear a belt.

Second class students at Virgin Mary Girls’ National School, Ballymun, Dublin, won first prize in the Hi Glo Silver competition for their poster — Ready, Steady, Glow. Pupils from Scoil Naomh Mhuire Fearann, Ovens, Co Cork, were runners-up in the Seatbelt Sheriff category while St Fergal’s National School, Killeagh, Co Cork, were runners-up in the Hi Glo Silver category.

The awards ceremony was attended by the RSA’s new chief executive, Moyagh Murdock, who commended the children for their creativity and commitment to road safety.

“Today’s ceremony demonstrates the outstanding commitment of young people across Ireland to making our roads safer,” she said.

“Children are among our most vulnerable road users so we have a responsibility as parents and educators to make sure they develop good road safety skills at an early age,” she said.

“It is my hope that the lessons learned will stay with these children and that, throughout their teens and into adulthood they will continue to be real life Seatbelt Sheriffs, keeping themselves, their peers and their loved ones safe on our roads for years to come,” she said.

Chief Superintendent Michael O’Sullivan from the Garda National Traffic Bureau urged parents and teachers to build on the work being done in schools and at home by demonstrating safe and responsible road use at all times.

Children in first class become ‘seatbelt sheriffs’ by taking a pledge to wear their seatbelts and making sure that everyone else in the car is buckled up too.

Hi Glo Silver encourages second class students and former ‘seatbelt sheriffs’ to wear bright high- visibility clothing when out walking or cycling.

www.seatbeltsheriff.ie.