A system designed to speed up the arrival of emergency vehicles and an initiative to raise public awareness about the laws and correct installation of child car restraints, are just two of the finalists in the Queensland Road Safety Awards.
The awards run by QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), recognise practical and positive road safety programs being run in the community.
CARRS-Q acting director Professor Narelle Haworth said a partnership between Transmax and the Queensland Government had resulted in the development of the Emergency Vehicle Priority system.
Professor Haworth said the project used technology to interrupt traffic signals and provide a green light in advance of an emergency vehicle's arrival at an intersection.
"The project was trialled in Brisbane for the first time in 2014-15 and is now being rolled out across 300 Brisbane intersections," she said.
"Analysis of the project across Queensland shows average improvements in emergency vehicle response times of approximately 20 per cent along major routes, with minimal detrimental impacts to other motorists.
The second Brisbane project to be recognised is a Kidsafe campaign to improve the correct use of child car restraints.
Professor Haworth said Kidsafe developed a Youtube and TV campaign to communicate the laws and correct installation of child car restraints.
"The campaign also saw 130 frontline workers such as midwives, child service workers and child health nurses, trained in a nationally accredited Type 1 fitting course to competently fit and check child restraints in vehicles," Professor Haworth said.
"By ensuring all people have access to professionally-qualified frontline workers and with a broad public awareness campaign, Kidsafe hopes to drive behavioural change with regards to correct selection, use and installation of child car restraints and reduce the number of children injured, disabled and killed as a direct result of incorrect use.
Professor Haworth said the awards, which were judged on creativity, originality and real world application, had generated a high caliber of entries.
"Community involvement is a vital factor in determining whether or not road trauma is reduced over the long term," she said.
"Road safety initiatives that have a history of community involvement and evaluated outcomes are often the winners both on the roads and in the awards."
The winners will be announced on August 20 at a special road safety workshop in Mackay being held as part of Queensland Road Safety Week.
The 2015 Queensland Road Safety Awards are supported by the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Police Service, the RACQ and the Motor Accident Insurance Commission.
Other finalists include:
Yeronga State School initiative named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Mount Zero initiative named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Two Sunshine Coast initiatives named finalists in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Two Moreton Bay initiatives named finalists in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Two Mackay initiatives named finalists in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Logan City Council initiative named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Gold Coast five-year plan named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Charleville's Stay on Track Outback initiative named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
Bundaberg's Project NIGHT LIFE named a finalist in the Queensland Road Safety Awards
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