The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has been recognised on the European stage for its innovative work to reduce drink driving, jointly winning the Driving Under the Influence and Distraction Award at the Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2025 in Brussels yesterday.
Organised by the European Road Safety Charter, the awards celebrate exceptional contributions to road safety from across Europe, highlighting the most impactful initiatives led by governments, industry, and civil society.
The RSA shares this prestigious award with its partners at Fline, for their joint initiative featuring the FlineBox, an interactive breathalyser kiosk designed to raise awareness about alcohol impairment and promote responsible decision-making.
The FlineBox, developed by Fline and deployed by the RSA in 2024, allows users to check their estimated blood alcohol concentration using advanced Dräger sensor technology. The initiative has proven a powerful educational tool, encouraging safer choices and challenging misconceptions around drink driving.
Over a six-month period in 2024, 12 FlineBox kiosks were installed across 10 hospitality venues and two major national events, facilitating 24,941 tests and collecting 24,871 survey responses in counties Mayo, Galway, Cork, Limerick, Laois, and Westmeath. The kiosks featured prominently at Electric Picnic and The National Ploughing Championships, reaching a combined audience of more than 319,000 people – nearly 6% of Ireland’s population.
Building on the success of this pilot initiative, the RSA and Fline expanded their collaboration throughout 2025. Kiosks were deployed at Electric Picnic, The Ploughing Championships, The Galway Races, and The Dublin Horse Show, facilitating a further 68,000 tests and further embedding drink-driving prevention into Ireland’s social and cultural landscape.
“We are deeply honoured to receive this award alongside our partners at Fline,” said Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA. “This recognition reflects the RSA’s ongoing commitment to combining innovation, education, and evidence-based policy to save lives. Drink driving remains one of the most preventable causes of death on our roads, and through initiatives like the FlineBox, we are helping people make safer, more informed choices before they ever get behind the wheel,” he added.
Drink driving continues to be a serious issue in Ireland. Research shows that 35% of driver fatalities between 2016 and 2020 with a toxicology result available had a positive toxicology for alcohol. Supported by additional government funding in 2024 under the Road Safety Strategy Action Plan 2021–2024, the RSA has prioritised public education campaigns targeting high-risk behaviours and groups.
“The success of the FlineBox initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration between technology and public awareness – turning prevention into a shared, hands-on experience that helps protect everyone on the road,” added Christine Hegarty, Head of Education Services at the RSA.
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Pictured at the Excellence in Road Safety Awards 2025 in Brussels yesterday were Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA; Christine Hegarty, Head of Education Services at the RSA; and Donna Price, founder of the Irish Road Victims’ Association.
