On the first day of BRAKE Road Safety Week, an emotional service on the World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims on 17 November really brought home how important it is to reduce death and injury on our roads.
The theme of the week is ‘After the crash, every road victim counts’ and the service underlined that we will never forget those whose lives have been lost or injured on our roads. The personal account from Wayne Smith who suffered life changing, permanent injuries in a motorbike collision in December 2012 reminded us why.
His account of how he lost his career, and is in serious pain every single day left many people in tears. It is only his family that have given him reason to carry on.
A keen motorcyclist, Wayne was riding his motorbike along the A423 from Southam to Rugby, when a driver failed to stop or give way at a junction and came straight out and hit him.
He took the full impact on his left foot which exploded on impact but remained within his safety boot.
During his five-week stay in hospital, he had numerous operations where his foot was saved and rebuilt using metal framework that will stay in place for the rest of his life, but he still has to walk with crutches and is now registered as disabled.
Wayne had to have 12 months off work to recover before having to retire on medical grounds, which saw him leave a career that spanned 26 years. He has to take numerous tablets to control the daily pain he suffers.
The driver was eventually fined £100 and given 4 points on her licence, while he was left with a life sentence of pain.
Wayne’s story is one of many and why police and partners are working hard to reduce the number of KSIs (people killed and seriously injured) in Warwickshire by 50% by 2030.
The one hour service offered an opportunity for people to gather together to personally remember a loved one, friend or relative and to collectively show commitment and support for safer roads in Warwickshire. We are very grateful to Chaplain Matthew Hopley who hosted the service and all those who attended from the public, our PCC Philip Seccombe, faith leaders, civic leaders and the emergency services. A big thank you to Kieren Scullion who spoke of his mental health struggles after losing his best friend in a collision and to Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership for organising the event and the BIG SING choir for lifting everyone’s spirits.
Following the service, Philip Seccombe, Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire and Chair of Warwickshire’s Road Safety Partnership said:
“I know that every road death or serious injury creates ripples that spread far beyond the immediate scene of a collision, it is a complex and often overwhelming journey that victims and their families face.
“In Warwickshire, we’ve worked hard to create a comprehensive network of support for those affected by serious collisions. Through Warwickshire Police’s family liaison officers and the Independent Road Victims’ Advocate (IRVA), that I fund through my office, we ensure that no family has to face these challenges alone.
“I will continue to champion the importance of road safety to prevent future tragedies and support high standards of care for every road victim.”
Please follow Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and Twitter @WarksRoadSafety and help us share information and advice to make our roads safer for everyone.
Notes for editors
For more information about the Remembrance Service for road traffic victims (link to original release).
More information about BRAKE Road Safety Week 2024 can be found here Road Safety Week | Brake
In Warwickshire, during 2023, 27 people died on our roads (34 people in 2019), 260 people were seriously injured (282 in 2019) and 1007 people suffered slight injuries (1164 in 2019). Road traffic collisions are the main cause of death for 17-24 year olds.
