Iris Wink, a JG Afrika Associate and leader of the firm’s Traffic & Transportation Division in Cape Town, has become a registered International Road Federation (IRF) Road Safety Audit Team Leader.

She is the first woman to ever receive this globally-recognised credential and only the second person in Africa to be accredited.

The IRF is a non-profit organisation that assists countries in developing intelligent and safer road transport systems.

Headquartered in Washington DC in the United States and supported by regional offices throughout the world, the IRF assists a network of members from both the public and private sectors in more than 70 countries by providing world-class knowledge resources and advocacy services.

This is in addition to offering continuing professional education, such as its Global Credential Program, which provides a pathway for experienced Road Safety Auditors to enhance their existing qualifications.

Wink was first introduced to the programme by the South African Road Federation (SARF), which is a local partner of the IRF.

The IRF has a long tradition of working with all stakeholders, including leading decision makers, such as the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL), to drive road safety initiatives globally.

This is in addition to promoting best practice in the local road industry by campaigning for policy improvements and disseminating information, as well as providing specialised education and training, including in road-safety audits.

In order to qualify as an IRF Road Safety Audit Team Leader, Wink had to complete an online examination before submitting a comprehensive presentation of her professional experience, including details of the projects that she had audited and four letters of recommendation from clients.

Michael G. Dreznes, IRF executive vice president, noted that the content of the reports demonstrated a sound understanding of safe systems concepts, while also praising her insightful commentary on speed and its management, as well as knowledge on vehicle restraint systems.

She will accept her certificate at the 2018 SARF/IRF/ Permanent International Association of Road Congresses Regional Conference for Africa, which will be held at the Durban International Convention Centre in October.

Wink received news of her accolade during Women’s Month and, as such, says that she hopes that her recent achievement will inspire women who are interested in the technical professions to pursue their ambitions.

She graduated with an MSc in Civil & Transportation Engineering at Leibniz University in Hannover, Germany, in 2003.

Wink has been involved in numerous audits over the years and remains extremely passionate about creating safer roads, especially for South Africa’s youth.