National Hospital of Paraplegics, Informativos Telecinco and Jean Claude Roffé receive the Medal of the Road

The National Hospital of Paraplegics of Toledo has received this June 7 Gold Medal awarded annually by the Spanish Road Association. The center has earned the award for the enormous progress made in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. These advances include the installation of the first diaphragmatic pacemaker, the creation of the Sexuality and Assisted Reproduction Unit, the introduction of Functional Electrical Stimulation, the first quadriplegic hand surgery or the installation of the first Lokomat (therapy of robotic locomotion). Almost 22 percent of the injuries treated at the Hospital in 2017 have been caused by a traffic accident, being the main cause of admission to the center in that year.

On the other hand, the Spanish Road Association has delivered its Silver Medal to theInformation Services of Telecinco. With this award, the AEC has wanted to highlight the commendable work of awareness in the field of road safety that this television network carries out through its information programming, thus contributing to the improvement of road safety. To the sensibility with which Telecinco deals with the serious problem of accidents, perseverance is added in its diffusion, since it is an issue that is dealt with in almost all editions of Noche de informativo. The Director and presenter of the news, Pedro Piqueras, has received the award.

The Medal of the Road to International Merit has fallen this year in Jean-Claude Roffé, current Vice President of the European Federation of Roads (ERF) and one of the world's leading experts in road technology, standing out especially in the fields of conservation and maintenance of pavements. The name of Jean-Claude Roffé is unfailingly linked to the French company Grupo Colas, where he worked for 25 years as responsible for its international expansion and positioning.

In addition, other 31 people and entities -agents of the bodies and security forces of the State and of the Autonomous Communities, volunteers of the Red Cross, professors, road technicians and positions of the Administration and the company- have also been honored on the spot.

The Spanish Road Association has been awarding its Medals of Honor for more than half a century in recognition of the work that professionals and institutions carry out to improve our roads, their quality, comfort, efficiency, technology and safety. The event was chaired by Juan Francisco Lazcano, President of the AEC. The following institutions have also been represented at the presidential table:

• Traffic Grouping General Directorate of the Civil Guard (Ministry of the Interior)
  Ramón Rueda, General of Division.
• College of Technical Engineers of Public Works and Civil Engineers
  Carlos Dueñas, President
• Spanish Red Cross
  Carlos Payá, President of the Spanish Red Cross in the Community of Madrid
• General Directorate of Roads of the Ministry of Public Works
  Julián González, Deputy Director General of Coordination and Administrative Management.
• Directorate General of Roads and Infrastructures of the Community of Madrid
  Consolación Pérez, General Director
• Traffic Department of the Ministry of Interior
  Ana Blanco, Assistant Deputy Director of Circulation
• Higher Technical School of Civil Engineers, Channels and Ports of the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
  Manuel Romana, Deputy Director
• Asociación Española de la Carretera
  Eduardo Fernández Bustillo, Treasurer
  
  

Access the images of the act
See press release
Consult the complete list of winners with their merits
See full video of the ceremony