The Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Awards recognize notable achievements in the field of highway safety by individuals, coalitions, organizations, nonprofit groups, businesses, media, government agencies, universities or programs. Submissions may include traffic safety programs, plans or legislation in areas including – but not limited to – occupant protection, impaired driving, speeding or aggressive driving, driver distraction, law enforcement, traffic records, emergency medical services and bicyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian safety.
2024 Awards
The 2024 O'Rourke Awards were presented during the GHSA 2024 Annual Meeting to Melissa W. Wandall, AAA Missouri and Tammy Gweedo McGee.
About Peter K. O'Rourke (1943–1996)
Peter K. O'Rourke, past GHSA Chair and highway safety leader, began his career as a California highway patrolman, where he witnessed the devastating consequences of vehicle crashes firsthand. He served to make highways safer through many roles. He was Director of the California Office for Traffic Safety under two governors and was instrumental in the passage of several important pieces of safety legislation.
The national respect gained from his commitment to highway safety led O'Rourke to be elected Chair of GHSA by his peers. After leaving state government, he served as Vice President of The Century Council, where he worked on prevention of underage drinking and drunk driving.
Past Winners
Tammy Gweedo McGee was recognized for her dedicated and passionate support of teen driver safety.
Melissa W. Wandall was recognized by GHSA for raising awareness of the dangers of red-light running and successfully advocating for legislation to address it.
AAA Missouri was recognized for its sustained efforts to educate the public and policymakers about distracted driving.
The Delaware Office of Highway Safety was recognized by GHSA for its “Arrive Alive DE” campaign, an innovative initiative to reach young male drivers, who are disproportionately represented in crashes involving drunk and drugged driving, distracted driving, speeding and lack of seat belt use.
Flagman Inc. was recognized by GHSA for raising awareness of Move Over laws and the importance of keeping roadside responders safe.
ECU Health Medical Center and the Greenville Traffic Safety Task Force were honored by GHSA for bringing together a range of community stakeholders and leaders to quickly implement needed roadway safety countermeasures.
MADD was recognized by GHSA for its War Room, which advocated for more than a year for legislation mandating the installation of drunk driving prevention systems in all new cars that could save 9,400 lives annually.
Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) was recognized by GHSA for its unwavering commitment to teen traffic safety and ending reckless and distracted driving, leading causes teen fatal crashes.
Families for Safe Streets was recognized by GHSA for its work advocating for practical solutions to improve roadway safety and supporting families of loved ones killed or injured in traffic crashes.
TransOptions brings together government, business and education leaders, law enforcement officials, advocates and representatives from local civic and service organizations to conduct grassroots public outreach and community engagement coupled with enforcement.
In 2017, Arriale Tabson, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office’s Public Information Officer, proposed the idea of using a bus to enforce Tennessee’s distracted driving law and call attention to this risky behavior.
The Southern California Association of Governments, or SCAG, and their “Go Human” bicycle and pedestrian safety program first brought together partners across Southern California in 2019 to reduce collisions involving people who walk and bike through a traffic safety advertising campaign.
The Puerto Rico Department of Justice DUI Specialized Prosecution Unit was established in 1995 to address Puerto Rico’s high rate of impaired driving fatalities, but prosecutors struggled for the next two decades to convict offenders.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s (WRAP) SoberRide program has increased the number of safe rides home in the Washington, D.C. area to record setting levels by removing tens of thousands of potential drunk drivers from the region’s roadways.
The South Dakota Office of Highway Safety’s “Jim Reaper” campaign is a marketing strategy designed to keep drivers safe by reminding them that death is always waiting for them to slip up.