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Nominations are now open for the 2026 Northern Ireland Road Safety Awards, with people being given the chance to recognise those making a difference to road safety in their local community. Entries close on 30 October 2026, and winners will be announced at a ceremony at Belfast Castle on Friday 20 November.
This is the 12th year of the awards, an initiative of the Road Safe NI Charity. They aim to celebrate the contributions of individuals and organisations who make roads safer in Northern Ireland.
Twelve categories will honour schools, businesses, volunteers, driving instructors, emergency services and the public sector, as well as professional drivers and young road users. They are the Primary School Award, Post-Primary School Award, School Crossing Patrol Award, Voluntary Award, Business Award, Open Award, Emergency Services Award, Approved Driving Instructor Award, Public Service Award, LGV/PCV Award, Young Driver Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins attended the official launch, which highlighted the opportunity the awards present to promote road safety, prevent collisions and protect lives. According to the Department's NI Road Safety Annual Statistical Report 2026, there were 56 fatalities on Northern Ireland's roads last year. A further 1,066 people were seriously injured in road traffic collisions, an increase of 14 per cent from 2024.
Davy Jackson, Chair of Road Safe NI Charity, said: "Road safety remains a significant issue in Northern Ireland, but individuals and organisations continue to step up. Their dedication, commitment, and innovation makes a genuine difference as we collectively prioritise awareness and education to improve behaviour and prevent collisions. Every nomination tells an important story, and we look forward to celebrating another exceptional group of road safety champions later this year."
The awards are supported by headline sponsor CRASH Services the Newry based accident-management company, and associate sponsor Cathedral Eye Clinic.
Paula Mahoney, Marketing Director at CRASH Services, said: "We deal with hundreds of motorists each month, many of whom are dealing with the traumatic aftermath of a road traffic collision. We know first-hand how important improvements to road safety are in Northern Ireland."
She added: "Road safety isn't just the responsibility of government, police, or road engineers, all of us who use our roads have a role to play in making journeys safer."
The 2026 awards are also supported by the Department for Infrastructure, Applegreen NI, The Road Ahead NI, New Driver NI, Hankook Tyres, Charles Hurst Group, JMK Solicitors, U105 and the Northern Ireland Road Safety Partnership.
Nomination forms are available at roadsafeni.org and crashservices.com, and entries must be submitted by 30 October.
Winners will be announced during Road Safety Week.
