The MTSI Trailblazer Award honors the court with the most innovative traffic safety initiative of the year. Following the success of the Court’s innovative traffic safety escape room in 2023, the Court created a Traffic Safety Challenge that mimicked the concept of the television show The Amazing Race in 2024. Kids were separated into teams and had to successfully complete stations related to various traffic safety topics before advancing. For example, one station required teams to label and understand key safety components of a vehicle. This fun, interactive, and innovative challenge made a lasting impression on all participants. The city was recognized for its efforts by TMCEC on April 3, 2025 at the AC Hotel Waco Downtown.
The Texas Municipal Courts Education Center’s (TMCEC) Municipal Traffic Safety Initiatives (MTSI) grant, funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, recently sponsored a traffic safety awards competition to recognize those municipal courts that have demonstrated outstanding contributions to traffic safety and preventing impaired driving in their communities. TMCEC was formed in 1984 to provide professional continuing education and training programs for municipal judges and court personnel throughout Texas. TMCEC is the largest judicial education organization in Texas and one of the largest such organizations in the U.S. All municipal courts in Texas were eligible to apply for an award from TMCEC.
Applicants were judged on their activities relating to increasing traffic safety while preventing impaired driving traffic crashes, traffic fatalities, juvenile DUI, child safety seat offenses, red light running, and other traffic related offenses. Twenty-six courts have been selected to receive awards: seven low volume (serving less than 30,000 people), eight medium volume (serving 30,000 to 149,999 people), five high volume (serving 150,000+ people), five in the New Applicant category, and one Trailblazer award for the most innovative traffic safety initiative of the year. Eighteen courts were also selected as honorable mentions.