Limerick students become 'lifesavers' for road safety

SAVING lives of motorists around Limerick and the wider country is what some University of Limerick (UL) students have pledged to do, as they reimagine road safety with a new project.

In the first month of this year, 660 Irish drivers were hit with driving under the influence offences. With alcohol, drugs and mobile phone driving continuing to be the primary causes of motor accidents, over 600 Kemmy Business School students at UL put their skills to the test by coming up with marketing solutions to change driving behaviours.

A collaborative project between UL, An Garda Síochána and Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) saw a showcase of posters that the students created on display, with the winning teams presented with Lifesaver Awards from An Garda Síochána, while prize money worth €1,000, funded by LCCC, was awarded.

The winning posters included titles such as ‘One high can lead to a six-foot low’ and ‘Comparing the road to the pitch’, will be displayed in garda stations around Limerick and will “contribute to the safety of citizens and has the capacity to be a lifesaver”, according to UL Provost Shane Kilcommins.

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Assistant Commissioner of Roads Policing and Community Engagement, Paula Hilman, described the student’s posters as “very impactful” and that by “working together, we can really start to make that difference” on Irish roads.

A special inspiration award was presented to the family of road safety campaigner Fergal Cagney, a Limerick man who suffered serious spinal injuries in a road traffic collision 18 years ago. The award was collected by his brother Brian, who is a UL graduate and a garda.

Kemmy Business School Executive Dean, Professor Finbarr Murphy, praised the collaborative project by saying: “the excellent standard at work demonstrated the passion for safety on our roads” that existed among the many participating students.