All of us make use of our roads in some way, whether we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, travel as passengers in cars or on public transport, as active cyclists, horse riders or simply by walking through our neighbourhoods. Road safety is therefore something that truly touches on all our lives, every single day.
Sadly, it remains the case that far too many people are killed or seriously injured on our roads and we need to encourage a major shift in attitudes and behaviours to bring these numbers down. Every one of these deaths represents an individual with families and friends who have had to suffer a devastating loss and causes a ripple effect across local communities.
Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership
As a county, the agencies with responsibility for road safety all work closely together to try and make a real difference and bring year on year change.
Chaired by the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership seeks to coordinate activity to help promote the ways in which all road users can be safer and more considerate, while also ensuring that swift action is taken against those who pose a danger.
The Warwickshire Road Safety Strategy has been underpinned by the adoption of the Safe System approach, which requires a systematic, multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to address the safety needs of all users. It requires a proactive strategy which places road safety in the centre of road traffic system planning, design, operation and use. There are five components for action:
- Safe People
- Safe Vehicles
- Safe Speeds
- Safe Roads and Roadsides
- Post Collision Response
Brake Independent Road Victims Advocate
The Independent Road Victim Advisor (IRVA) provides specialist support to anyone bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash. The service has been commissioned by the PCC in Warwickshire from Brake, the national road safety charity.
Every death or serious injury on our roads has a significant and long-term impact on the local community, so it is vital that those directly affected receive long-term, specialist support. The National Road Victim Service, delivered by Brake, provides this though a free, specialist, case-managed service for anyone bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash throughout the UK. The PCC’s commissioned service cements the IRVA role for the county of Warwickshire, ensuring that it has dedicated provision for all who need it.
The long-term funding commitment from Warwickshire’s PCC is an important recognition of the plight of road victims and their need for support.
