Initiative details
The Short Course in Road Safety, Mobility and Health addressed the need for stronger interdisciplinary understanding of the relationship between road safety, health, mobility and safe participation in transport. Road safety challenges are not only technical or enforcement-related; they are also influenced by human behaviour, health status, ageing, disability, rehabilitation needs, distraction, professional practice, and wider mobility systems.
The initiative responded to a gap in structured education for professionals whose work may affect, advise or support road users, but who may not always receive formal training on the links between health, mobility and road safety. The course aimed to improve awareness of safe mobility, medical and functional considerations, rehabilitation/adaptations, human factors, active travel, and the wider policy context, including Vision Zero and Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.
A key challenge addressed was bringing together diverse professional perspectives so that road safety is understood as a shared responsibility across health, transport, rehabilitation, public health and related disciplines.
The initiative responded to a gap in structured education for professionals whose work may affect, advise or support road users, but who may not always receive formal training on the links between health, mobility and road safety. The course aimed to improve awareness of safe mobility, medical and functional considerations, rehabilitation/adaptations, human factors, active travel, and the wider policy context, including Vision Zero and Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.
A key challenge addressed was bringing together diverse professional perspectives so that road safety is understood as a shared responsibility across health, transport, rehabilitation, public health and related disciplines.
Initiative date
to
Who was/is your target audience?
Policy makers
Public authorities
Adults
Company employees
Car drivers
Car drivers – professional
Emergency services
Van drivers
Topic
Create awareness
Knowledge building and sharing
Training
Organisation details
National Office for Traffic Medicine
School / Research centre
Ireland
Dublin
Contact name
Maggie Martin
Telephone number
00353 87 997 5473
notm@tcd.ie
Website link
Project activities
If you work together with external partners, list the most important partners and briefly describe their role.
The initiative was delivered by the National Office for Traffic Medicine in collaboration with a range of road safety, health, academic and enforcement partners.
The Road Safety Authority contributed expertise across several areas, including road safety performance, dangerous behaviours on Irish roads, multi-agency road safety work, rehabilitation and adaptive processes, and education and awareness. This helped align the course with national road safety priorities and the Vision Zero approach.
An Garda Síochána contributed to the course through content on multi-agency road safety, enforcement measures and serious collision investigation. Their involvement brought an operational and enforcement perspective to the programme, helping participants understand how road safety challenges are addressed in practice.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland contributed expertise on engineering measures and the infrastructure dimension of road safety, supporting participants’ understanding of how road design and system-level interventions contribute to safer mobility.
Trinity College Dublin supported the academic and educational dimension of the course, including contributions on assessment of fitness to drive and crash safety/adaptive processes, as well as hosting the in-person workshop and supporting certification.
The National Rehabilitation Hospital contributed specialist knowledge on rehabilitation and adaptive processes, helping participants understand how mobility can be supported following injury, illness or functional change.
The Medical Bureau for Road Safety contributed expertise on alcohol, drugs and driving during the in-person workshop, strengthening the course’s coverage of key behavioural and public health risks in road safety.
Together, these partners ensured that the course reflected the multidisciplinary nature of road safety, combining perspectives from policy, enforcement, infrastructure, health, rehabilitation, education and research.
The Road Safety Authority contributed expertise across several areas, including road safety performance, dangerous behaviours on Irish roads, multi-agency road safety work, rehabilitation and adaptive processes, and education and awareness. This helped align the course with national road safety priorities and the Vision Zero approach.
An Garda Síochána contributed to the course through content on multi-agency road safety, enforcement measures and serious collision investigation. Their involvement brought an operational and enforcement perspective to the programme, helping participants understand how road safety challenges are addressed in practice.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland contributed expertise on engineering measures and the infrastructure dimension of road safety, supporting participants’ understanding of how road design and system-level interventions contribute to safer mobility.
Trinity College Dublin supported the academic and educational dimension of the course, including contributions on assessment of fitness to drive and crash safety/adaptive processes, as well as hosting the in-person workshop and supporting certification.
The National Rehabilitation Hospital contributed specialist knowledge on rehabilitation and adaptive processes, helping participants understand how mobility can be supported following injury, illness or functional change.
The Medical Bureau for Road Safety contributed expertise on alcohol, drugs and driving during the in-person workshop, strengthening the course’s coverage of key behavioural and public health risks in road safety.
Together, these partners ensured that the course reflected the multidisciplinary nature of road safety, combining perspectives from policy, enforcement, infrastructure, health, rehabilitation, education and research.
Please describe the project activities you carried/are carrying out and the time period over which these were implemented.
The project was implemented through the Short Course in Road Safety, Mobility and Health, delivered by the National Office for Traffic Medicine. The course began on 13 April 2026, with online video content released weekly to allow participants to build knowledge progressively before attending the mandatory in-person workshop on 28 May 2026.
The online component was designed to be flexible and accessible for professionals, while covering a broad range of road safety topics across different fields. The course introduced participants to the broader road safety context, including road safety performance, dangerous behaviours on Irish roads, multi-agency collaboration, and human factors. It also covered driving assessment, medical fitness to drive, rehabilitation, and adaptive processes, before moving into strategies to improve road safety, including education and awareness, engineering measures, and enforcement.
The in-person workshop brought participants together with professionals and subject-matter experts from different disciplines. The day included presentations on the science of road safety, public health, traffic psychology, alcohol, drugs and driving, serious collision investigation, injury mechanisms, crash safety and adaptive processes. It also included Q&A, panel discussion and opportunities for participants to exchange views with speakers and other professionals working in road safety, mobility and health.
A post-course feedback form was used to evaluate participants’ experience and identify areas of interest for future training and educational activities.
The online component was designed to be flexible and accessible for professionals, while covering a broad range of road safety topics across different fields. The course introduced participants to the broader road safety context, including road safety performance, dangerous behaviours on Irish roads, multi-agency collaboration, and human factors. It also covered driving assessment, medical fitness to drive, rehabilitation, and adaptive processes, before moving into strategies to improve road safety, including education and awareness, engineering measures, and enforcement.
The in-person workshop brought participants together with professionals and subject-matter experts from different disciplines. The day included presentations on the science of road safety, public health, traffic psychology, alcohol, drugs and driving, serious collision investigation, injury mechanisms, crash safety and adaptive processes. It also included Q&A, panel discussion and opportunities for participants to exchange views with speakers and other professionals working in road safety, mobility and health.
A post-course feedback form was used to evaluate participants’ experience and identify areas of interest for future training and educational activities.
In terms of implementation, what worked well and what challenges did you need to overcome?
The blended format worked particularly well. Participants responded positively to the combination of flexible online learning and an in-person workshop. Feedback highlighted that the short online content allowed participants to engage with the material around busy working lives, while the workshop was described as particularly engaging and valuable for meeting professionals from diverse disciplines.
The quality and pacing of the content, the range of speakers, and the administration of the course were also identified as strengths. In the feedback form, all respondents said they would recommend the course/event to others, the average overall satisfaction rating was 4.9 out of 5, and the administration of the course was rated 5 out of 5 by every respondent.
The main challenges related to coordinating a multidisciplinary course across online and in-person formats, ensuring clear registration and access processes, and maintaining consistent quality across all presentations. Feedback also identified some areas for improvement, including avoiding registration confusion and ensuring strong sound quality and presentation delivery during future sessions. These points have been noted and will inform improvements to future editions.
The quality and pacing of the content, the range of speakers, and the administration of the course were also identified as strengths. In the feedback form, all respondents said they would recommend the course/event to others, the average overall satisfaction rating was 4.9 out of 5, and the administration of the course was rated 5 out of 5 by every respondent.
The main challenges related to coordinating a multidisciplinary course across online and in-person formats, ensuring clear registration and access processes, and maintaining consistent quality across all presentations. Feedback also identified some areas for improvement, including avoiding registration confusion and ensuring strong sound quality and presentation delivery during future sessions. These points have been noted and will inform improvements to future editions.
Evaluation
Please summarise how you have evaluated the initiative’s impact (e.g. social media reach, survey, feedback forms, statistics).
The initiative was evaluated through a post-course feedback form completed by participants. The feedback captured both quantitative ratings and qualitative comments on the course content, format, administration, and suggestions for future topics.
The feedback was highly positive. There were 10 responses in total, and 100% of respondents said they would recommend the course/event to others. The average overall satisfaction rating was 4.9 out of 5, and the overall administration of the course was rated 5 out of 5 by every respondent.
Qualitative feedback showed that participants particularly valued the blended model of online learning followed by an in-person workshop. Comments highlighted the quality and pacing of the content, the value of the in-person day, the flexibility of the online modules, and the opportunity to meet professionals from diverse disciplines involved in improving road safety.
The feedback form was also used to identify future learning needs, which will help guide future NOTM educational activities.
The feedback was highly positive. There were 10 responses in total, and 100% of respondents said they would recommend the course/event to others. The average overall satisfaction rating was 4.9 out of 5, and the overall administration of the course was rated 5 out of 5 by every respondent.
Qualitative feedback showed that participants particularly valued the blended model of online learning followed by an in-person workshop. Comments highlighted the quality and pacing of the content, the value of the in-person day, the flexibility of the online modules, and the opportunity to meet professionals from diverse disciplines involved in improving road safety.
The feedback form was also used to identify future learning needs, which will help guide future NOTM educational activities.
What has been the effect of the activities?
The activities had a direct educational and capacity-building effect on professionals and stakeholders working in, or connected to, road safety, mobility and health. The course strengthened participants’ understanding of road safety from a multidisciplinary perspective, showing how human factors, road user behaviour, health, rehabilitation, enforcement, engineering and public health all contribute to safer mobility.
The initiative also supported education and professional development. Its impact is therefore best understood as improving knowledge, awareness, collaboration and professional capacity in support of wider road safety objectives, including Vision Zero and Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.
The initiative also supported education and professional development. Its impact is therefore best understood as improving knowledge, awareness, collaboration and professional capacity in support of wider road safety objectives, including Vision Zero and Ireland’s Road Safety Strategy 2021–2030.
Please briefly explain why your initiative is a good example of improving road safety.
This initiative is a good example of improving road safety and complements wider road safety activity because it addresses road safety as a shared, multidisciplinary responsibility rather than a single-sector issue. It brings together health, transport, enforcement, rehabilitation, public health, education and infrastructure perspectives, helping participants understand how different professional roles contribute to safer mobility and the prevention of harm on the roads. It supports a preventive approach by equipping professionals with broader knowledge and encouraging cross-agency thinking aligned with Vision Zero.
The initiative is also efficient because it combines flexible online learning with an in-person workshop. This allows road safety stakeholders and professionals to engage with the course alongside their work commitments, building knowledge progressively through online content before coming together for applied discussion, Q&A and cross-sector exchange during the workshop.
The initiative is also efficient because it combines flexible online learning with an in-person workshop. This allows road safety stakeholders and professionals to engage with the course alongside their work commitments, building knowledge progressively through online content before coming together for applied discussion, Q&A and cross-sector exchange during the workshop.
How have you shared information about your project and its results?
Information about the project was shared through targeted communication channels linked to the National Office for Traffic Medicine and road safety stakeholders. The course was promoted through direct email communication with relevant professional and stakeholder networks, the NOTM/related website, the RSA website, and social media channels.
Information about the results and feedback has been shared through internal review, NOTM stakeholders and colleagues and partners involved in the course. The participant feedback was reviewed by NOTM to assess the effectiveness of the course format, content, administration and workshop. The results are being used to inform future road safety education activities, including future course topics, speaker planning and improvements to delivery.
Information about the results and feedback has been shared through internal review, NOTM stakeholders and colleagues and partners involved in the course. The participant feedback was reviewed by NOTM to assess the effectiveness of the course format, content, administration and workshop. The results are being used to inform future road safety education activities, including future course topics, speaker planning and improvements to delivery.
