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CEE Graduate Student Wins Lifesavers Essay Contest and Receives Traffic Safety Scholarship

Reception Group ShotCEE graduate student Kwaku Boakye recently participated in the Lifesavers Conference, which is the premier U.S. highway safety meeting dedicated to reducing the tragic toll of deaths and injuries on our nation’s roadways.

As part of the conference, participants competed in an essay competition. Boakye was chosen as one of the 30 winners of the Traffic Safety Scholarships from participants across Universities in the U.S. and Canada to receive a $1,000 award.

The essay topic addressed how his field of study could be used to address the problem of deaths and injuries in motor vehicle crashes. As a transportation engineering student, his answer included discussion of design of safer infrastructure and incorporating road safety features into land-use, as well as transport planning, improvement in vehicle safety features, improvement of post-crash care for injured victims and public awareness and road safety education.

“Getting the opportunity to participate in this year’s lifesavers conference was an exciting and learning experience for me,” he said. “Not only did I get the chance to meet professionals in the transportation industry but the conference also provided me the avenue to learn about innovative research ideas, best practices, and a common goal of saving lives.”

Boakye said that the technical sessions were especially engaging and educational, and he enjoyed the discussions about how road safety education programs together with the media, enforcement agencies, the community and employers all have a big role to play. He is already looking forward to Lifesavers 2017 in North Carolina.