The UK’s top roads policing and road rescue chiefs are putting their collective force behind this year’s RoadPeace challenge.
RoadPeace is the national charity for road crash victims in the UK. It supports the people affected by road crashes with emotional and practical support and advocacy.
Each year it holds the RoadPeace Challenge to send out a strong message to the public that road crashes can no longer be tolerated as inevitable and that the emergency services are committed to reducing road deaths and injuries, together.
This year’s event takes place between 15-21 May, coinciding with UN Global Road Safety Week
Jo Shiner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for roads policing, and Dan Quin, the National Fire Chief Council’s road safety and road rescue teams lead, are backing the campaign.
As well as being the most senior roads policing officer in the UK, chief constable Jo Shiner also knows the personal impact of road crashes. Her father was killed in a collision on his way to work after another driver fell asleep at the wheel, when she was a teenager.
She said: “We must continue to work together to reduce death and serious injury on our roads. I know what it means to have a loved one killed on the roads and am passionate about reducing the number of families that suffer that immense, avoidable and lasting loss.”
Dan Quin added: “Deaths and serious injuries on our roads are devastating tragedies which impact on individuals, families and communities. These incidents can leave an indelible impression on emergency responders.
“Signing up to the RoadPeace Challenge is a great opportunity for fire and rescue services, their partners and blue light colleagues to unite against road harm and support Vision Zero.”
Thank you for highlighting RoadPeace’s wonderful work. Sadly, this year the challenge will not be seen by Pauline Fielding MBE, coordinator of RoadPeace Northwest, who died on 4th April. She was a tireless campaigner for justice and safer roads and a loving supporter of those bereaved or injured by traffic collisions. Despite her battles with serious illness over many years she always put others before herself. Thankfully, she lived to receive her long deserved MBE from Prince William at Windsor Castle last year and her Commendation from Merseyside Police, for her devotion to her cause, on 1st March. Pauline will always be remembered as a special person who, after her son Andrew, aged eighteen, was killed by an untraced hit and run driver, devoted her life to helping others who had also suffered road trauma. For well over two decades, each year, among so many other things, she organised two remembrance services for road traffic victims. There isn’t enough space here to list all the inspiring things she achieved. Our thoughts are with Pauline’s family and friends and all who knew her through RoadPeace.
David Midmer, Wirral
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