The New Zealand Road Safety, Emergency Response and Healthcare Awards recognise contributions by industry professionals in emergency services, hospital care, post-hospital care and road safety, and by members of the community who contribute to improved road trauma outcomes and may otherwise not be acknowledged.

The Awards are the nationalisation of the Canterbury Road Trauma Awards, which were established in 2017.

There are three national Award categories:

• National Award for Emergency Response and Healthcare (formerly the Canterbury Road Trauma Award for Public Service).
• National Award for Road Safety (formerly the Canterbury Road Trauma Prevention Award).
• National Award for Community Service (formerly the Canterbury Road Trauma Award for Community Service).

Each category has its own eligibility requirements and assessment criteria. Review the Official Awards Guide and the relevant application form before preparing a nomination.

The Road Traffic Accident Trauma Charitable Trust trading as the National Road Trauma Centre governs the Awards.

The New Zealand Road Safety, Emergency Response and Healthcare Awards Executive Committee has responsibility for the Awards name, criteria and selection of Award recipients. The Committee brings together specialists from trauma medicine, orthopaedic surgery, risk management, emergency services and road safety.

Award recipients receive a certificate and medallion in recognition of their meritorious efforts. These honours acknowledge their contribution to road safety, emergency response, healthcare or community service.

Reviewing the Awards criteria and previous Award recipients can help you understand the range of contributions recognised, ranging from major trauma specialists, trauma nurses, forensic pathologists and emergency service personnel from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Hato Hone St John, air rescue services and New Zealand Police, through to road safety specialists and a road safety entrepreneur. Recipients have been recognised for sustained work to prevent road trauma and reduce serious injury or harm, as well as exceptional assistance by members of the public at a road crash site. Eligibility depends on the criteria for the relevant category.

The Trust meets the costs of running the New Zealand Road Safety, Emergency Response and Healthcare Awards. It relies on support from Award sponsors and grants.

Members of the New Zealand Road Safety, Emergency Response and Healthcare Awards Executive Committee voluntarily contribute their time to the programme.

Receiving an Award can attract public and media attention. The Awards have received coverage across different media in previous years, helping to share recipients’ work and the contributions being made to road trauma prevention, emergency response, healthcare and community service.

The Awards and Trust logos can be provided for marketing purposes. Their use must follow the Awards guidelines and terms of use.

Please request the official logo files and applicable guidelines before using them, so that the correct artwork and presentation are maintained. The contact details are provided in the More Help and Further Information section below.

Help is available if you need guidance in preparing a nomination or have questions about the application process.

Start by reviewing the Official Awards Guide, the relevant category criteria and application form. These explain the information and supporting material required. If further guidance is needed, use the email address or phone number in the More Help and Further Information section below.

The Trust has ensured that the Awards are accessible to all. Neither the nominee nor the applicant or nominating person is charged to enter.

The Awards ceremony is by invitation only, and there is no charge to attend.

An Award recognises the contribution an individual, team or organisation has made and can strengthen recognition among peers, colleagues, other organisations and the wider public. A nomination itself acknowledges exceptional work.

The National Award for Emergency Response and Healthcare and the National Award for Road Safety recognise the hours individuals and teams have contributed to preventing road trauma and reducing serious injury or harm. Recognition can also contribute positively to employee satisfaction.

Some previous recipients have carried out exceptional work, day in and day out, over a long period without previously receiving recognition for that contribution.

Yes. If a project or programme fits more than one category, it may be nominated in each relevant category.

Read each category’s criteria carefully. The nomination needs to demonstrate how the project, programme or person meets the specific requirements of each Award category. Further guidance is available if you are unsure which category is appropriate.

Yes. The New Zealand Road Safety, Emergency Response and Healthcare Awards Executive Committee will be aware if a person or team has been nominated more than once.

The number of nominations received for the same nominee is not considered as part of the judging criteria.

Yes. Some organisations provide a range of services or work across several areas. Nominations in more than one category will be considered where each nomination meets the criteria for that category.

Each submission should clearly explain the relevant contribution and how it meets the requirements of the Award being sought.

Encourage colleagues, teams and organisations to identify and support suitable nominations. The Trust promotes the Awards to government and non-government organisations across healthcare, emergency services and road safety, as well as to members of the public.

Organisational management can take a proactive role in encouraging employees to put forward nominations. Working in partnership with other organisations to identify potential nominees has also been effective in previous years.

For the National Award for Community Service, relevant authorities and members of the public with knowledge of a road crash incident are encouraged to nominate people whose contribution may otherwise go unrecognised.

It is not necessary to notify the nominee, but involving them before submission is recommended. This can help you prepare a stronger nomination by ensuring that the relevant details, evidence and contribution are accurately described.

To ensure nominations are assessed fairly and impartially, all nominations must use the required application format. Follow the instructions in the relevant application form for supporting information and the applicable word limit.

For the National Award for Road Safety, supporting information should demonstrate the impact of the initiative in preventing road trauma nationally or regionally. Results from a post-implementation evaluation are preferable to an estimate prepared before implementation.

Further information may be requested from shortlisted nominees for promotional purposes after they have been announced. That material is not used as part of the judging process.

National Award for Community Service: letters of support are compulsory and should support the nomination from a community perspective.

National Award for Road Safety and National Award for Emergency Response and Healthcare: management letters of support are compulsory. They should validate management endorsement and approval of the nomination from a business or organisational standpoint.

Additional letters of support for these two categories are not compulsory. Where included, they may come from a respected organisation with related interests or an individual able to provide a compelling account of the nominee’s contribution.

Letters of support help validate the nomination and the nominee’s credentials.

Provide the person writing the letter with enough background material to prepare an informed endorsement. Make sure they know the submission deadline and can provide the letter in time.

A strong letter of support should:

• Provide concrete examples supporting the nominee’s credentials.
• Outline key achievements, milestones or recognition.
• Explain the significance of the nominee’s work or its impact, including context that may not be apparent to someone outside the field.
• Provide evidence of the nominee’s contribution within their field, including the development of programmes or projects.

A focused, one-page letter that meets the nomination requirements should include:

• An opening paragraph introducing the nomination and nominee.
• A brief explanation of the writer’s relationship to the applicant or nominee, where relevant.
• A summary of the reasons for the nomination, referring to the Awards criteria.
• Relevant qualities and achievements of the nominee.
• Previous Awards or recognition, where applicable.
• A conclusion explaining why the nominee is a suitable candidate for the Award.

Nominations opened on Monday, 7 September 2026. The deadline for submitting nominations is 11.59 pm on Sunday, 31 January 2027.

Extensions are not available because time is required to shortlist and assess the nominations. Please allow enough time to complete the application and obtain all required letters of support before the closing date.

If an Award recipient is unable to attend the ceremony in person, we can arrange a pre-recorded acceptance video so they can still be part of the occasion. Please let the Trust know in advance so that arrangements can be made before the ceremony.