On World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2023, Police and Crime Commissioners across the West Midlands are remembering all the people killed and seriously injured on the region’s roads.
In 2022, almost 30,000 people were killed and seriously injured on the UK’s roads and thousands of families were impacted by the loss or injury of a loved one.
This harm is preventable with commitments to reduce the number of road victims prioritised in the Police and Crime Plans for West Midlands PCC Simon Foster, Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe, and West Mercia PCC John Campion through Vision Zero.
Putting victims at the heart of road safety policies, Vision Zero is the ambitious target of zero road deaths by 2050.
The PCCs also continue to prioritise victims by ensuring specialist support services are available for anyone seriously injured in a road collision and the bereaved.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is an important and poignant reminder of all the people who are tragically and avoidably, killed and seriously injured on our roads. My thoughts and condolences are with the victims, their families and friends.
“Preventing, tackling and reducing the number of people, tragically and avoidably killed and seriously injured on our roads is a top priority.
“As Chair of the West Midlands Road Safety Strategic Group, I am working with Police and other partners, towards the aim of nobody losing their lives on the region’s roads.”
Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe, said: “As well as bringing people together to remember all those who have lost their lives through road traffic collisions, the World Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity to underline that the pain each loss brings to our communities is not taken for granted and that, through concerted effort, we can bring about change.
“As Chair of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership I have been working with a wide range of partners locally, regionally and nationally to ensure the principles of Vision Zero are embedded across all of our work. There is a shared determination to make our roads safer and to ultimately get to a position where no-one has to suffer the devastating consequences of a death or serious injury.”
West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said: “Days like today are a poignant reminder of the harm too often caused on roads across the country.
“On the World Day of Remembrance, I want to send my heartfelt condolences to all victims and their loved ones who have had their lives irreversibly impacted by the preventable actions of individuals behind the wheel.
“This cycle needs to stop and that’s why in my Safer West Mercia Plan I am focused on improving road safety to reduce the harm caused to innocent victims every year by inappropriate driving.”
