ICYMI: People Saving People recipients announced

Four people and one group are receiving the state’s 2016 People Saving People Award today for their efforts to improve traffic safety as part of the 22nd Kansas Transportation Safety Conference in Topeka. 

This year’s award recipients are:

Karen Wittman, Kansas Attorney General’s Office—Wittman is the traffic safety resource prosecutor for the State of Kansas.  Wittman teaches classes, prosecutes cases, meets with other impaired driving prevention professionals and coordinates with law enforcement and traffic safety resource prosecutors across the country. In addition she teaches “boot camps” that provide new prosecutors with the basics and resources for prosecuting impaired drivers. 

Norraine Wingfield, Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office— Wingfield has worked for the last 10 years to reduce traffic safety injuries and fatalities in Kansas with KTSRO. She has also served on the National Child Passenger Safety Board and the AARP Board of Directors, and spoke at Lifesavers and Kidz in Motion conferences.  

Brown County Sheriff’s Office: Teen Lifesaver Initiative— The Teen Lifesaver Initiative was started two years ago, and teaches high school students first aid and CPR as well as how to use an Automated External Defibrillator to help those injured in serious crashes. Students from every high school in Brown County have been trained in live-saving measures from the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Horton Police Department and the Brown County Health Department.

Addie Evans and Katelyn Burkhart, Buhler High School—The two students worked on a class project inspired by a friend’s severe injury due to a drunk driver. In their studies the two learned that the trauma caused by the death of a loved one is enough pain, but the trauma that is caused by decision that could have be completely prevented is worse. With that in mind they organized a fundraising walk called March4Sobriety, designed t-shirts, created a GoFundMe page and distributed flyers. All of the money raised for the walk was donated to MADDKS.

 
The People Saving People Award highlights efforts of a person or organization that has a positive effect on transportation safety behavior. The Kansas Department of Transportation sponsors the award along with the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration.