HAMPTON ROADS — Drive Safe Hampton Roads recently announced the recipients of the 33rd annual John T. Hanna Awards for Excellence in Traffic Safety.
The awards were presented to individuals and organizations who demonstrated exceptional effort in promoting and encouraging traffic safety within Hampton Roads at the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission on Thursday, Feb. 29.
Drive Safe Hampton Roads is a nonprofit regional coalition comprised of traffic safety advocates from regional law enforcement and fire/rescue agencies; national organizations; local businesses; military; state, city and county government officials; community organizations; and individuals from the Hampton Roads community.
According to Drive Safe Hampton Roads, the awards were given in the following categories: Traffic Safety Activism, Impaired Driving Prevention, Law Enforcement Initiatives, Legal Initiatives, Youth Traffic Safety, and Fire/Emergency Medical Services Initiatives.
According to Drive Safe Hampton Roads, the 2023 John T. Hanna Award Recipients are as follows:
- Tammy McGee, President, Conner Gweedo Memorial Foundation — Martin H. Schlosser Award for Traffic Safety Activism
- Officer Shannon Velez, Chesapeake Police Department — Impaired Driving Prevention
- Master Police Officer Solomon D. Simmons III, Virginia Beach Police Department — Law Enforcement Initiatives
- Brad Huffman, Senior Partner, Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law — Legal Initiatives
- Lance Koontz, Student, Tabb High School — Youth Traffic Safety
- South Hill Volunteer Fire Department — Fire/Emergency Medical Services Initiatives
- James Bunker, Independent Contractor to the Virginian Pilot for all the national newspaper delivery in the Virginia Beach area — Honorable Mention for Traffic Safety Awareness