Initiative details
In 2024, Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Office launched a series of road safety campaigns, with the lead conference aimed at older road users and aligning with ‘Transportation’ a World Health Organisation Age Friendly Theme. This event was delivered in partnership with Age Friendly Kerry and Older People’s Council Kerry and in association with An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority.
The conference addressed changes in road layouts, signage, speed limits, road traffic laws, and how vehicles and driving habits have changed. It focused on promoting safer driving behaviour. Presentations were delivered in plain language to ensure all attendees could fully engage.
The event offered older drivers an opportunity to share their experiences and raise concerns about their safety on the roads. The event served as an information session and a valuable opportunity for engagement with older road users.
The conference addressed changes in road layouts, signage, speed limits, road traffic laws, and how vehicles and driving habits have changed. It focused on promoting safer driving behaviour. Presentations were delivered in plain language to ensure all attendees could fully engage.
The event offered older drivers an opportunity to share their experiences and raise concerns about their safety on the roads. The event served as an information session and a valuable opportunity for engagement with older road users.
Initiative date
Who was/is your target audience?
Seniors
Car drivers
Pedestrians
Topic
Create awareness
Knowledge building and sharing
Organisation details
Kerry County Council
Local Public authority
Ireland
County Kerry
Contact name
Davina Griffin
Telephone number
00353669796716
davina.griffin@kerrycoco.ie
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
Road Safety Authority - presentation on ‘Mobility Matters’ for Older Drivers`.
An Garda Síochána - presentation on ‘Policing the Roads’.
Specsavers Opticians and Audiology - presentation on ‘Keeping an eye on the road`.
Results Driving Assessment Services - presentation on Older Driver Mobility.
Physiotherapist, Bons Secours Hospital - presentation on Keeping Active and Physiotherapy.
Keynote Speaker, Ms. Anna May McHugh, Age Friendly Ambassador, County Laois, speaking on the theme - ‘Positive Ageing and Driving for Longer’.
An Garda Síochána - presentation on ‘Policing the Roads’.
Specsavers Opticians and Audiology - presentation on ‘Keeping an eye on the road`.
Results Driving Assessment Services - presentation on Older Driver Mobility.
Physiotherapist, Bons Secours Hospital - presentation on Keeping Active and Physiotherapy.
Keynote Speaker, Ms. Anna May McHugh, Age Friendly Ambassador, County Laois, speaking on the theme - ‘Positive Ageing and Driving for Longer’.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
In 2024, Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Office launched a series of road safety campaigns, with the lead conference aimed at older road users and aligning with ‘Transportation’ a World Health Organisation Age Friendly Theme. This event was delivered in partnership with Age Friendly Kerry and Older People’s Council Kerry and in association with An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
The over 55s account for 31% of the population in Kerry and is a diverse group comprising people spread across all socio-economic backgrounds both Irish and non-National. Previous Age Friendly events have seen conferences being undersubscribed or oversubscribed and a key challenge to this event was ensure that participants were engaged via a targeted communication strategy. A series of online, social media, print and radio communication was utilised to ensure participants were engaged and that the event was well attended. Tailoring an effective communication strategy was key to promoting this event.
The conference was delivered by Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Office in partnership with Age Friendly Kerry and Older People’s Council Kerry and in association with An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority. Effective communication and collaboration between these stakeholders and their various programmes of work was key to ensuring a consistent message was delivered to participants at the event.
Simply hosting an event does not guarantee a lasting impact. Active engagement fuels participation, fosters learning and ignites meaningful connections. Creating opportunities for attendees to interact was crucial to ensuring that participants at the conference felt connected to the event and that the message delivered was well received.
The conference was delivered by Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Office in partnership with Age Friendly Kerry and Older People’s Council Kerry and in association with An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority. Effective communication and collaboration between these stakeholders and their various programmes of work was key to ensuring a consistent message was delivered to participants at the event.
Simply hosting an event does not guarantee a lasting impact. Active engagement fuels participation, fosters learning and ignites meaningful connections. Creating opportunities for attendees to interact was crucial to ensuring that participants at the conference felt connected to the event and that the message delivered was well received.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
There were many benefits to this project as garnered from a feedback survey of participants which indicated strong agreement that:
• The presenters gave good insights and information on older drivers
• The questions and answers session was informative
• The information content was very relevant
• Elements of the conference that stood out in particular were:
• The speakers
• Clear concise information
• The voices of the elderly – first-hand information
• Group panel Discussion
• Excellent and very informative conference.
The conference facilitated a change of thinking about ageing and helped to encourage older people to stay on the road for longer and stay safe on the road.
• The presenters gave good insights and information on older drivers
• The questions and answers session was informative
• The information content was very relevant
• Elements of the conference that stood out in particular were:
• The speakers
• Clear concise information
• The voices of the elderly – first-hand information
• Group panel Discussion
• Excellent and very informative conference.
The conference facilitated a change of thinking about ageing and helped to encourage older people to stay on the road for longer and stay safe on the road.
What has been the effect of the activities?
The impact of the conference went beyond the room on the day due to the extensive press and social media coverage after the event. The conference was reported as ‘a very informative road safety conference aimed specifically at their demographic [older road users]’. After the conference, the press and social media coverage led to extending the conversation on road safety for older road users. Participants also called for the conference to be replicated in other locations across the county.
There were many benefits to this project as garnered from a feedback survey of participants which indicated strong agreement that:
• The presenters gave good insights and information on older drivers
• The questions and answers session was informative
• The information content was very relevant
• Elements of the conference that stood out in particular were:
• The speakers
• Clear concise information
• The voices of the elderly – first-hand information
• Group panel Discussion
• Excellent and very informative conference.
The conference facilitated a change of thinking about ageing and helped to encourage older people to stay on the road for longer and stay safe on the road.
There were many benefits to this project as garnered from a feedback survey of participants which indicated strong agreement that:
• The presenters gave good insights and information on older drivers
• The questions and answers session was informative
• The information content was very relevant
• Elements of the conference that stood out in particular were:
• The speakers
• Clear concise information
• The voices of the elderly – first-hand information
• Group panel Discussion
• Excellent and very informative conference.
The conference facilitated a change of thinking about ageing and helped to encourage older people to stay on the road for longer and stay safe on the road.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
The project supported the Road Safety and Kerry Age Friendly programmes. In 2022 19% of the population of Kerry (29,727 people) were over 65 years of age. Participants at the conference represented a diverse group comprising people spread across all socio-economic backgrounds both Irish and non-National. The Age Friendly programme aims to cater for this diverse and ever changing group.
Being unable to continue to drive creates a loss of independence and a barrier to the full participation of older people in their community. The conference informed and gave insights to older people into staying on the road for longer and staying safe on the road. Participants involved a spread across older people’s groups including Active Retired Groups, Sean Cháirde and Meals on Wheels groups. These groups cater for and respond to needs of a wide range of Older people including people from different nationalities with varying abilities. The social interaction element of the conference was welcomed by participants.
Being unable to continue to drive creates a loss of independence and a barrier to the full participation of older people in their community. The conference informed and gave insights to older people into staying on the road for longer and staying safe on the road. Participants involved a spread across older people’s groups including Active Retired Groups, Sean Cháirde and Meals on Wheels groups. These groups cater for and respond to needs of a wide range of Older people including people from different nationalities with varying abilities. The social interaction element of the conference was welcomed by participants.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
The initiative was communicated and promoted via:
• Road Safety Officer interview on Kerry Today Programme on Radio Kerry
• Local newspapers
• Kerry County Council social media
• Kerry Public Participation Network
• Age Friendly Ireland Newsletter
• Older People’s Council Kerry
• Word of mouth
• Road Safety Officer interview on Kerry Today Programme on Radio Kerry
• Local newspapers
• Kerry County Council social media
• Kerry Public Participation Network
• Age Friendly Ireland Newsletter
• Older People’s Council Kerry
• Word of mouth
Supporting materials
