We are delighted to announce that the Automobile Club of Moldova and Derran Williams of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are the recipients of the Margie Peden Prize for Safe System Implementation.
The prize is named in memory of the late EASST Board member Margie Peden, who passed away in January 2026. Margie was a leading figure in global injury prevention. Before joining EASST, she spent 17 years as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global coordinator for unintentional injury prevention, making major contributions to road safety. Her work underpinned landmark global reports on road traffic injuries and child injury prevention, helped shape United Nations and World Health Assembly resolutions, and strengthened the evidence base for advancing road safety as a global priority.
Margie was an integral part of EASST and a leading figure in the international road safety community. By establishing this prize in her memory, we aim to celebrate her legacy, recognise outstanding contributions to road safety, and highlight lasting progress towards safer roads across our region.
The Margie Peden Prize was presented to Derran Williams and Tatiana Mihailova, Director of the Automobile Club of Moldova, in recognition of the lasting impact of the “Safe Driving for Life” programme, launched more than a decade ago to improve road safety management in vehicle fleets.
The prize was presented at an event marking European Mobility Week and the 30th anniversary of European vehicle safety legislation, held at the EBRD’s headquarters in London on 16 September. Speaking on the occasion, Emma MacLennan, Honorary President of EASST, said:
“The Automobile Club of Moldova is a dedicated and exceptionally talented organisation. Its work to create a safe and sustainable transport system in Moldova has been recognised through numerous awards and accolades. This well-deserved prize can now take its place among those achievements!”
“Derran Williams, Principal Health and Safety Adviser at the EBRD, is a tireless champion of health and safety and is deeply committed to promoting road safety.”
Safe Driving for Life
In 2011, the EBRD provided the municipality of Chișinău with a loan to purchase 102 modern, environmentally friendly trolleybuses. In the first year, a report by the municipal electric transport operator (RTEC) identified 178 road crashes involving more than half of the trolleybuses in the fleet, with trolleybus drivers at fault in 41% of cases. A significant number of collisions were also found to involve minibuses. That year, crashes involving minibuses in Chișinău resulted in a total of 227 injuries and seven deaths.
With support from the EBRD, the “Safe Driving for Life” campaign was launched in Moldova in February 2013 by the Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM) and EASST. A seminar and training programme on “driving for safer business” brought together not only trolleybus and bus operators, but also minibus operators, private companies such as the electricity company, and public institutions with vehicle fleets, including the police and rescue services.
Following this initiative, a new Occupational Road Safety Working Group was established to support fleet managers, holding its first meeting in March 2013. In the first year, collisions involving public transport fell by 33%, while road casualties decreased by 38%. Premier Energy (Gas Natural Fenosa) estimated savings of almost €400,000 as a result of fewer road crashes involving its company vehicles. Minibuses, which had been a major contributor to collisions and were inaccessible to people with disabilities, are now restricted to certain routes. In the same year, Chișinău’s municipal Transport Directorate (DGMU) also recorded a reduction in crashes, with the total falling to two-thirds of the 2012 figure.
One of the most significant lasting outcomes of this small but innovative EBRD-supported project is that the transport managers involved continue to meet regularly. They still work closely with ACM to improve road safety performance and organise regular refresher training for drivers. A range of policies and measures has been introduced to keep drivers informed, aware of risks and motivated. All parties involved collect and analyse data. The total number of collisions involving public transport vehicles over the past five years is now lower than the number of trolleybus collisions recorded in 2012 alone.
The Margie Peden Prize recognises and celebrates a collaboration that has brought about meaningful and lasting change. It honours the outstanding contribution of an individual and the work of an exceptional organisation that joined forces to develop a tailored solution for improving road safety management in vehicle fleets.
Source: EASST – Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport
