ATU Donegal's Claire McCaul receives national recognition at road safety awards

Donegal County Council, ATU Donegal Students’ Union, and the Donegal Road Safety Working Group are proud to jointly congratulate Claire McCaul, Vice President for Education and Communications, ATU Students’ Union Donegal, on being awarded the Road Safety Authority (RSA) Leading Light Award for Youth Road Safety Champion.

This prestigious national honour recognises her outstanding leadership, creativity, and commitment in delivering Road Safety Awareness Week at ATU Donegal, held in early 2025.

The initiative was developed in close collaboration with Donegal County Council’s Road Safety Officer and Donegal Road Safety Working group, following the identified need for renewed and meaningful road safety engagement aimed at those in third level education.

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In 2024, 17 people lost their lives on roads in Donegal, and a further 55 sustained serious injury. So far this year, 11 people have lost their lives on roads in Donegal.

Working alongside Donegal County Council, Donegal Road Safety Working Group and An Garda Siochana, Ms McCaul coordinated an interactive programme on the ATU Donegal campus that brought road safety education to life for students.

Road Safety Awareness Week featured the RSA Shuttle Bus with reaction-time and speed-testing activities; live demonstrations delivered by the An Garda Siochana Road Policing Unit; the impactful Lifesaver Programme, and Information and engagement stands from supporting agencies.

These activities reinforced the week’s core message: responsible driving saves lives and gave students powerful, hands-on experiences that demonstrated the real-life consequences of unsafe driving.

The initiative engaged hundreds of students, alongside participants from Youthreach and the National Learning Network, transforming traditional road safety messaging into a relatable and highly effective learning experience.

On receiving the award, Claire McCaul stated: “I’m genuinely honoured to receive this award. Road safety isn’t just a campaign topic for me, it’s something that affects every family and every community in Donegal. Young people listen to each other, so if my work has helped even one person stop and think before taking a risk on the road, then it’s been worthwhile. I hope this recognition encourages more of us to speak up, look out for each other, and keep pushing for safer choices. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who collaborated with me to make the week so successful”

Pamela Smullen, Donegal County Council, attended the RSA Leading Light Awards Ceremony in Croke Park this week, representing the collaborative effort behind this project. Speaking after the event, she said: “I congratulate Claire on this well-deserved award. Her ability to work closely with official agencies and to encourage students through her role in the student union created a learning environment that engaged students and delivered important road safety education. The success of ATU Road Safety Awareness Week shows how collaboration and student leadership can make a real impact.”