Law firm supports campaign promoting safety on our roads for second year running

Hampshire law firm, Warner Goodman LLP, is taking part in this year’s Road Safety Week (23-29 November) for the second year. The firm are corporate partners of road safety charity, Brake, who coordinate the national campaign, with support from the Department for Transport and headline sponsor Specsavers.

“This year the message from Road Safety Week is to encourage people to drive less, live more and ultimately make our roads safer,” explains Catriona Ralls, Personal Injury Solicitor. “With this message we’re asking people to review their journeys; do they need to use their car or could they walk, cycle or take public transport as an alternative. Now that winter is upon us the automatic reaction is for us to drive our cars so we are not caught out in the wind or rain, but it’s during these months that injuries on the roads increase so if all of us reduced to amount of journeys in our car it could have a significant impact on the number of injuries and fatalities on our roads every year.”

In 2014, five people were killed and over 60 were seriously injured every day on UK roads [1][2]. “These figures are simply staggering and could so easily be reduced by us not getting behind the wheel as often as we do,” continues Catriona. Two-thirds of trips are made by car, with 40% of those trips being less than two miles [3][4]. “Of course, it’s not realistic for us all to stop driving completely, but for those trips where there are options, this is where the real difference can be made.”

Brake is a national road safety charity that campaigns to end the needless deaths and serious injuries that happen on our roads every day and to make streets and communities safer for everyone. They do this by promoting road safety awareness, safe and sustainable road use, and effective road safety policies. Another element of their cause is to care for and support families bereaved and injured in road crashes, by offering access to a helpline and support packs.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: “We’re delighted Warner Goodman LLP is doing its bit to make our roads safer by getting involved with Road Safety Week and helping to spread the ‘drive less, live more’ message. Local support for the road safety cause is vital if we are to achieve our goal of putting an end to road deaths and injuries, and enabling everyone to get around without fear or threat. Driving less reduces congestion, pollution, and traffic danger, making our streets safer and more pleasant places, plus it can make you fitter, healthier and happier.”

Catriona concludes, “During Road Safety Week we will have a banner displayed outside St James Primary School in West End, Southampton to make the parents and children aware of the week and to support their own initiative of encouraging pupils and parents to walk to school more often. Supporting Brake’s campaign is hugely important for us as we see every day the consequences of injuries sustained on our roads, whether they be drivers, cyclists or pedestrians. By working together to reduce the amount of cars on the roads, it will inevitably follow that we see a reduction in the number of these injuries and fatalities that change people’s lives forever.”

Find out more about Road Safety Week and Brake’s drive less live more campaign, or tweet your support: @Brakecharity, #RoadSafetyWeek, #drivelesslivemore.

If you’ve been injured on the roads you can contact Catriona or the Personal Injury team to discuss your options for financial compensation, or access to rehabilitation on 0800 91 92 30 or via their section of the website here.

ENDS

This is for information purposes only and is no substitute for, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice.  All content was correct at the time of publishing and we cannot be held responsible for any changes that may invalidate this article.

For media enquiries, interviews with Brake, and to find out about regional Road Safety Week launch events across the UK contact news@brake.org.uk.

[1] Reported road casualties in Great Britain: main results 2014, Department for Transport, 2015 

[2] Police recorded injury road traffic collision statistics: 2014 key statistics report, Police Service of Northern Ireland, 2015

[3] Commuting and Business Travel, Department for Transport, 2011

[4] National Travel Survey, Department for Transport, 2010