GHSA Highway Safety Awards
2010 Award Winners
Awards were presented on Monday, Sept. 27, in conjunction with the 2010 GHSA Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.
The 2010 James J. Howard Highway Safety Trailblazer Award Winner
Chuck Hurley—Charles "Chuck" Hurley is the recipient of the 2010 James J. Howard Highway Safety Trailblazer Award.
During his more than 30-year career, he has become one of the most recognized highway safety advocates in the country, pushing for comprehensive safety legislation on various highway safety issues such as: improved driving laws; the installation of air bags in automobiles; strong seat belt and speeding laws; safer automobile designs; and child passenger safety at both the state and national levels. Learn More
The 2010 Kathryn J.R. Swanson Public Service Award Winner
Tricia Roberts—The 2010 Kathryn J.R. Swanson Public Service Award is presented to Tricia "Trish" Roberts.
A longtime employee at the Delaware Office of Highway Safety, Roberts repeatedly proved herself a valuable member of the team. Her creative ways to reach the public paired with her determination to see effective legislation enacted and her dedication to connecting with other highway safety organizations are just a few of the reasons Roberts deserves this recognition. Learn More
The 2010 Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Award Winners
The Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition—For nearly ten years preceding the implementation of the Motorcycle Safety Coalition, Florida experienced a significant increase in motorcycle registrations, endorsements, fatalities, and injuries. In 1997, motorcyclists and their passengers accounted for 5 percent of the fatalities on Florida's roadways. By 2008, that figure had grown to nearly 18 percent, even though motorcyclists represented only six percent of the total driver population.
In response, the Florida Motorcycle Safety Coalition was formed. It is a team of 27 safety advocates from numerous disciplines, established in July 2008, to develop and implement the Motorcycle Strategic Safety Plan (MSSP) called for in the state's 2006 Strategic Highway Safety Plan. Learn More
Crawford County S.A.F.E. Program—Kansas teens present a highway safety challenge on two fronts: they are less likely to buckle up and more likely to be involved in a crash. In spite of education programs, teens often remain stuck in the "it won't happen to me" mindset, convinced they are immune from serious injury or death or from stops by the police.
To counter this assumption, the Kansas DOT developed the S.A.F.E. (Seat Belts Are For Everyone) program, which capitalizes on teen buying power by using a combination of positive and negative incentives to change behavior. Learn More
DCH Auto Group—DCH Auto Group is the largest auto group in New Jersey and one of the largest in the nation, with 27 dealerships in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and California. In response to the growing concern about teen driver safety, as well as fatal crashes in its service areas, DCH made a substantial commitment to promote teen safe driving through active involvement in local high schools and communities. As a leader in the field of vehicle supply and service, DCH believed that it could play a positive role in improving teen driver safety. Learn More
Zero Fatalities—Zero Fatalities is a coalition of Utah highway safety partners working to prevent traffic injuries and fatalities whose groundbreaking Texting While Driving (TWD) video has fueled the distracted driving discussion on a national scale. With distracted driving fatalities on the rise – and a new Utah law with the nation’s toughest penalties for TWD – Zero Fatalities knew that public education was imperative, especially since few educational materials existed about this deadly behavior. Learn More
2010 Award Selection Committee Members
- Troy E. Costales
Administrator, Oregon Transportation Safety Division
Chairman, GHSA Member Services Committee - Cindy Cashen
Administrator, Alaska Highway Safety Office - Pete Bodyk, Jr.
Chief, Kansas Bureau of Traffic Safety - Kathy Farnum
Senior Section Chief, Safety Planning and Administration Section
Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning - Kim Proctor
Director, Mississippi Office of Highway Safety - Adam Kopstein**
Manager, Product Safety & Compliance
Volvo Cars of North America - Barbara Harsha*
Executive Director
Governors Highway Safety Association
*Non-voting members
**Representing GHSA's Associate Members