What is Road Safety Week?
Road Safety Week is an annual campaign dedicated to promoting road safety awareness and advocating for safer roads and responsible driving behaviour. This week-long event aims to shine a light on road safety, with the purpose of reducing road accidents and saving lives by educating all drivers on the importance of responsible driving, pedestrian safety and the need for improved road infrastructure.
According to road safety charity, Brake, every year more than 1,700 people die on UK roads, with another 30,000 receiving serious, life-changing injuries. The numbers are shockingly high and have remained at a consistent level for a long time, impacting not just the casualties but also their families.
For this year’s Road Safety Week, Brake will be revealing the stories behind the statistics – including the families of those who’ve been impacted by road accidents – and calling for the highest standard of care for every road victim.
How to Participate in Road Safety Week 2024?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a learner driver, new driver or experienced driver, everyone can sign up to take part in Road Safety Week 2024. You can sign up here.
For Road Safety Week 2024, Brake will be doing the below:
- Leading on the development of a Road Victims’ Charter, calling on the new government to provide sustainable funding and parity of care for road victims and their families, whoever they are, wherever they live, and whether or not a crime has occurred.
- Bringing communities together to remember loved ones who have died or suffered life-changing injury in road crashes.
- Helping children and young people learn about the people who help us after a crash.
- Helping organisations that employ people who drive for work to learn why we need robust investigation into the causes of road crashes, so we can understand why they happen and prevent future road death and harm.
- Helping people whose lives have been torn apart by road crashes to talk about their experience.
- Showcasing the work of Brake’s National Road Victim Service, which provides expert emotional and practical support to thousands of road victim families during their darkest and most difficult times.
Here are some ideas on how you can get involved:
- Observe Safe Driving Practices: Practice responsible driving by following speed limits, avoiding distractions, and obeying traffic rules.
- Promote Pedestrian Safety: Educate pedestrians about safe crossing and encourage drivers to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.
- Support Road Safety Campaigns: Participate in or organize road safety awareness campaigns and educational events in your community.
- Advocate for Safer Roads: Advocate for improved road infrastructure, including better signage, lighting, and pedestrian facilities.
- Conduct School Programs: Engage with schools to teach students about road safety and encourage safe behaviours among young pedestrians and cyclists.
- Drive Responsibly: If you drive, set a positive example by always wearing your seatbelt and refraining from texting or using your phone while driving.
So, make sure to encourage your school, university, place of work or community to support the initiative by sharing important road safety messages.
Don’t forget to visit the Veygo Hub for loads of important information on how you can keep safe on the roads, including guides to help you understand key things like stopping distances, reversing around corners, driving at night and understanding speed limits.