Local charity, HOPE, will once again be supporting the annual Road Safety Week, which this year throws a spotlight on the people and organisations who provide support in the aftermath of a fatal road traffic collision.
Road Safety Week is an annual campaign, organised by Brake, the road safety charity. Its aim is to get people involved, to shout out for road safety where they live and work.
Every day five people die on UK roads. Last year, 1,695 people died on UK roads. Another 28,967 suffered serious, life-changing injuries. In 2023, 39 people were killed on the roads of South Yorkshire.
But road casualties are not just numbers. Behind every number is a family in turmoil, a family whose lives have been changed forever and a family that needs support.
HOPE is here to support families in South Yorkshire who have had a loved one killed in a road traffic collision or anyone who has witnessed such a traumatic incident. HOPE provides free, unlimited support for families for however long they need. This might include supporting families to navigate the complex criminal justice or civil claims processes, involving coroners, prosecution services, witness support, solicitors, insurers and more.
HOPE works with children and adults of all ages, providing relevant support to meet each individual’s specific needs, being there for them through their trauma and helping them feel able to cope and adjust to a new reality.
This year’s Road Safety Week aims to highlight those who care for people after a collision. Following every fatal or serious injury road traffic collision, a whole network of people come together to provide expert support, in the immediate aftermath, and in the months and years that follow.
This includes emergency services teams who attend the scene of a collision, medical staff in hospitals and other health care professionals, who provide urgent, immediate and long-term medical care as well as the police family liaison officers and collision investigators.
And of course, organisations like HOPE provide a vital service too, supporting the families of road victims.
Road Safety Week gives us all the opportunity to remember people killed or injured on UK roads and raise awareness of road safety in a bid to reduce the number of people who suffer as a result of a road traffic collision. Whether you are a driver, a rider, a pedestrian or cyclist, all road users can play their part in helping to keep themselves and others safer on the roads.
HOPE’s charity operations manager, Maryann, welcomed the spotlight on the vital services being offered for families following a loved one’s death in a road traffic collision, “As the testimonials from families who have come to HOPE show, our services are needed by families in South Yorkshire. Demand for our support continues to increase. We know that what we can offer is making a real difference to families in their hour of need.
“However, the loss of life on our roads should not be tolerated. Everyone needs to work together to create a safer road system and eliminate road deaths, to spare future generations from suffering the death of a loved one in a preventable road traffic collision.”
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Contact:
Joanne Wehrle
Project Co-ordinator
HOPE charity
Mobile: 07864 613139
Email: Joanne@hope-sy.org.uk
Web: www.hope-sy.org.uk
