We are having a new, overdue and much needed Strategy to stop road death thanks to
@LilianGreenwood
(I should say, no relation 🙂) and
@LouHaigh
@Keir_Starmer
@UKLabour
I would suggest, based on my own research data, there are three steps along the way to achieving this new
In 2009,
@UKLabour
produced a plan to make “Britain’s roads the safest in the world.” It did not happen and many thousands of people have been killed or seriously injured on our roads, and needing the services of our
#NHS
In 2024, our new Transport Secretary
@LouHaigh
I have dived into the political discourse on the ‘war on the motorist’ which is a political construct, because I want to focus on road death & a ‘war to stop killing people on our roads.’ I hate the language but mirror that used by others.
Many will know the significance of dates when someone is killed by a traumatic event such as a car crash. 15 years ago, our beautiful Alice, who was killed by the devastating action of a young driver, was buried on this day. The right day to talk to politicians about road death.
I get a lot of push back from some on
@X
who tell me we don’t have a problem with the number of deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads. For example, they tell me:
As the numbers have been falling since 1987, that’s good enough. I say, more than 80 dead or seriously
In 2009,
@UKLabour
produced a plan to make “Britain’s roads the safest in the world.” It did not happen and many thousands of people have been killed or seriously injured on our roads, and needing the services of our
#NHS
In 2024, our new Transport Secretary
@LouHaigh
Personal news: I graduated
#phd
from
@ITSLeeds
@UniversityLeeds
with: ‘the politics of road death’ exploring how road safety policies get made in the way they do or do not get made or put on the agenda. Thanks to
@DrGregMarsden
& Samantha Jamson for being brilliant supervisors
'Enough is enough'
Road safety expert Dr Ian Greenwood spoke to
#BBCBreakfast
as 30 families bereaved by fatal road crashes call for graduated licences where restrictions are placed on new drivers
Another horrendous road crash on a rural road with tragic consequences. A reminder that for the first time since 1987, the U.K. does not have a national strategy to stop road death. Time for this to change
@DanJarvisMBE
@LilianGreenwood
Happy Father’s Day to all you amazing Dads out there.
Always a bitter sweet day for me: spending the day with my two beautiful daughters. Alice - killed as a result of a young driver crash and forever 12 (so a visit to her grave) and - her freedom taken from her, and Clara -
28,031 people were seriously injured in road crashes in 2022. That is about 77 people each day - all needing expert emergency
@PoliceChiefs
,
@NFCC_FireChiefs
@NHSEngland
@AACE_org
interventions and ongoing
#NHS
care.
Rarely do we read about the consequences of these crashes on
@RishiSunak
I try hard to stay balanced in my contributions, but my stance also includes calling out this language which ignores pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, wheelers, etc, - many of whom are also drivers. We need safe roads for all, & this focus on just drivers will backfire.
The General Election was called on 22 May. So, yesterday was 1 week. Using
@transportgovuk
2022 data (averages), since then, these are the number of people impacted by road crashes:
Killed = 35 people
Seriously injured = 539 people (most now in an
#NHS
bed)
Total = 574
I rarely Twt about personal things, but speeding
@EmilyThornberry
caused my 12 year old daughter’s road death. That speed broke her beautiful little neck.
@Keir_Starmer
@LouHaigh
Is this why
@UKLabour
have no road safety policy? And your response: “sorry”. I am disgusted!
With important and essential sensitivity … 😔
This weekend we saw ten deaths from road collisions in traumatic and stark circumstances. I make no comment on the specific crashes, out of respect.
I simply point to 2 connected things: the human tragedy and heartbreak of road
I do sometimes wonder if anyone is listening to calls to
#stoproaddeath
, so good to see road death on rural roads on
@BBCBreakfast
(clip from 7.18) - the roads where 60% road deaths happen. It seems especially poignant the day after Alice’s birth date - but she remains forever 12
Rural road death: 20 mph limits (
@20splentyforus
) and smart motorways (
@AAPresident
) have been effective at raising their issues in the media, and have rightly received lots of attention. But rural roads are where most people are killed or seriously injured (approx 60%), and
@5_News
@MikeyCycling
@tessa5news
@WMerciaPolice
In just about every area of crime, the public are asked to help the police and lots of us simply help where we can as members of our communities. With road crime (which kills and seriously injures thousands every year) something seems to happen to some people, and large parts of
This language
@RishiSunak
which tries to support folk getting about ends up being offensive when you look from the lens of those travelling on our roads & importantly all those who are dead or disabled as a result. The schemes you attack to slow traffic stop death & disability.
Lots of debate about crashes involving young drivers 👍🏻 and questions of why they are disproportionately impacted.
One major issue is their young age and inexperience, and importantly the negative consequence of this combination. Older novice drivers are also inexperienced, but
There needs to be a coordinated policy response to this urban selfishness, for all the reasons discussed. But also because of the very practical issue that our infrastructure simply isn’t big enough: roads, streets, parking, multi-storey car parks, drives, etc.
Drive fast, die young is a hard hitting
@BBCiPlayer
@BBCBreakfast
@BBCNews
programme about the death of a young driver, Lewis, and his passenger, Sammy, in a car crash, made by his brother Jamie and Mum Justice. Such bravery.
Please watch and share and
Just saying …..
@theJeremyVine
The NHS don’t, the police don’t, fire and rescue don’t, the road safety charity sector don’t, insurers don’t, I don’t …. Etc… Maybe you ditch ‘accident’ too? Unless you have predictive insight of future investigation outcomes?
It still surprises me how many people don’t know about the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads.
Example:
Of road crashes involving a young driver, about half of the 4,935 people killed or seriously injured were ‘other’ road users - so people walking
Two of the friends of this young man were killed in a crash involving a young driver - in this quote he talks to other young people who think it cool to be ‘beemer boys’.
Powerful words: you don’t come back mate”
#stoproaddeath
#GDL
The House of Commons needs to wake up to
People being killed with knives resulted in 219 avoidable deaths (all ages, but many young people) in 2022/3 (
@ukhomeoffice
). This is rightly a priority for politicians.
Young people being killed with cars resulted in 318 avoidable deaths in 2022 (
@transportgovuk
) and that’s
Chuffed to be invited to be the speaker at the All Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety’s AGM to share my thesis - ‘the politics of road death.’ A great discussion on the need to radically change how we approach policy to stop road death. Thanks to
@PACTS
for the invite
The role of politicians is to protect the vulnerable (uncontroversial?). So, what is your plan
@Mark_J_Harper
@RishiSunak
@transportgovuk
to avoid the deaths of children and young people on Britain’s roads? In the last 5 years 265 children (16 & under) were killed on our roads
In 1987 the Conservative gvt
@PBottomleyMP
was the first to set road casualty reduction targets - deaths and serious injuries dropped by 42%
In 2000 the Labour gvt
@LordWhitty
continued with targets - deaths and serious injuries dropped by 39%
In 2011 the Coalition gvt
I am already bored with the election campaign - especially with no discourse on road death, road danger or the high impact and cost of road crashes. It seems they think there are no votes in saving lives, and just doing the right thing isn’t enough!
#stoproaddeath
#VisionZero
(Rare) personal news: my work towards my PhD on ‘the politics of road death’ won the
#UTSG2022
conference best student paper / presentation today 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
@ITSLeeds
'MPs must act to save young drivers lives' in
@guardian
@GdnPolitics
@guardianopinion
I am delighted that so many academics and experts have supported this letter - the ten who's names were published, plus the many others who support it. They are experts
This ⬇️ from
@Conservatives
… A thought on policies which awards freedom to those who choose to drive, but discriminates against people who choose not to drive. So much for liberty for all!
True - driving is very common, but many people choose not to be drivers.
Any policies
Driving is the most common method of transport for most people across the country, especially in rural areas.
We will end Labour’s war on motorists, keeping costs under control and ensuring people have the freedom to drive.
I try really hard to share facts in my tweets. BUT! The way this clip of a potentially fatal crash with questionable (?) driving was presented on
@BBCNews
was truly shocking
@sophieraworth
Road danger should be treated seriously - not like this! Letter of complaint on its way!
Privileged to be a speaker at the
@Brakecharity
reception today at the
#houseofcommons
Heading home on a very delayed train, exhausted!
Whilst those present didn’t need any persuasion, I called on the new Parliament to take road death seriously, make plans to avoid it happening
Road deaths and serious injuries from young driver crashes: Thank you for all the support offered to Forget-me-not Families Uniting - we are overwhelmed with the backing and encouragement. Depressingly, the group no one wants to be a member of has reached 70 families, and
'Enough is enough'
Road safety expert Dr Ian Greenwood spoke to
#BBCBreakfast
as 30 families bereaved by fatal road crashes call for graduated licences where restrictions are placed on new drivers
Road traffic deaths are largely avoidable & that knowledge makes today’s anniversary of Alice’s birth even more difficult (I wish I hadn’t counted - 28 today!). Yet, we still do not talk about road death as a problem, & national politicians still refuse to take sufficient action.
Many will know the significance of dates when someone is killed by a traumatic event such as a car crash. 15 years ago, our beautiful Alice, who was killed by the devastating action of a young driver, was buried on this day. The right day to talk to politicians about road death.
Sometimes a brave politician comes along, connects with the enormity of avoidable grief (sadly, largely because of her own life story), listens and then acts. Here is
@kimleadbeater
doing just that.
4,935 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes involving young
For those wondering why road deaths and seriously injuries are treated as “accidents” or “a species apart” here is some reading and food for thought from the US and Australia.
#TalkAboutRoadDeath
Interesting
@ETSC_EU
report on road safety progress in Europe.
In Britain, I frequently hear that we “have some of the safest roads in the world” - which is true for some road users. This framing includes a comparison of data, for example, as shown in this map. Britain is one of
We rightly focus on the
@RoadPeace
challenge and
@Brakecharity
conference this week, and this impactful photograph - 1766 road deaths in 2022.
It is also right to focus on the professionals who have to deal with the consequences of road crashes - the first responders -
5 people are killed and 75 are seriously injured on Britain’s, on average, each day.
Since 5 September 2023
@Bill_Esterson
has been Shadow Minister for roads, including road safety. Since early October (can’t see older tweets), on an extremely busy
@X
account, he has managed no
Today’s
@BBCLookNorth
top headlines have 4/6 news stories involving death or serious injury caused in some form of road crash. Not suggesting there is a theme, except the tragedy for those involved, just how common these incidents are & we still don’t really
#talkaboutroaddeath
Throughout the political noise of the past few years leading up to
@20splentyforus
some lost sight of the ‘prize.’ We know focusing on speed reduces the severity of injury trauma and here is yet more proof. Brave leadership and a clear strategy ..
I am told there isn’t a problem with the number of road deaths and seriously injuries, and it isn’t a problem in need of attention from national politicians.
I am told the current set of policy solutions is sufficient to plod along with all that is needed. We’ve basically fixed
Sending love & understating to all those many thousands of ignored victims of road crime, road death & road injury in what is always an impossible time of year. We want to celebrate Christmas but we just can’t manage it! Be kind to yourselves! 🤗🎄🤗🎄🤗🎄
#stoproaddeath
Today,
@pacts
and partners published a ground-breaking Road Safety Manifesto.
Also today,
@MPIaianDS
and his backbench Bill to include cyclists in death by dangerous (cycling) driving laws, moved forward with government support. 15 people were killed in cyclist crashes.
Last
A
@UKLabour
plan to
#stoproaddeath
: It got lost in the media’s interest in fixing pot holes in the election campaign, but
@Keir_Starmer
@LouHaigh
also promised to deliver “a new road safety strategy to prevent tragic deaths and injuries.”
It was reported here though
Travelling home after a very positive meeting with
@RicHolden
Roads Minister & my MP
@FabianLeedsNE
discussing the need for action on road safety. Looking forward to some strong and rapid progress to avoid road death & serious injury from both Gvt & opposition. Thanks to both!
Those who took part in
#5deathsaday
don’t need reminding of the total devastation that road crashes can bring, but I hope sharing tributes of those killed or seriously injured will help us prevent them. Thank you to
@RoadPeace
and those who took part.
#TalkAboutRoadDeath
It is now 10 days since the General Election was called. Using
@transportgovuk
2022 data (averages), since the election launch, these are the numbers of people with injury trauma from road crashes, causing:
Death = 50 people.
Serious injury = 770 people (most now in an
#NHS
Proud to join the
@PACTS
Board as Director / Trustee whose vision is “a transport system free from death and life changing injury, in which all users feel safe.” Lots to do, especially in
#RoadSafety
4,935 people were killed or seriously injured in young driver crashes in 2022 (50% ‘other’ road users, 28% young drivers, and 22% their passengers).
I want to comment on the “stop picking on young drivers” views I am hearing.
I value my own liberty and autonomy. I strongly
What’s the biggest problem with road safety in Britain today? One or two word answers only. But please send answers! Please retweet too!
#RoadSafety
#TalkAboutRoadDeath
I am liking this. Are we seeing signs of joined up Gvt in
@transportgovuk
?
@LouHaigh
emphasising priority & safety (& £) in active travel with public health benefits & a road safety strategy. Her quotes say ‘safe’ a lot!
A higher proportion of people impacted by road crash injuries live in high deprivation areas & the gap is increasing. There is a greater disparity between the most & least deprived injured child pedestrians. Yet, politicians focus on ‘the war on the motorist’ & not on safety.
Two of the friends of this young man were killed in a crash involving a young driver - in this quote he talks to other young people who think it cool to be ‘beemer boys’.
Powerful words: you don’t come back mate”
#stoproaddeath
#GDL
The House of Commons needs to wake up to
Road crashes: thank you to
@NickyAACampbell
for discussing a neglected, but so common issue - & sensitively too. 5 people were killed on our roads today & 70 seriously injured. People simply don’t know! These are rarely accidents!
#stoproaddeath
Deaths from young driver crashes: yet another
@BBCNews
item about the risk of death or serious injury from young driver crashes. It also introduces a documentary - Drive fast, die young on
@BBCiPlayer
. How long can politicians ignore us?
Why is speeding or not wearing a seat belt now deemed unimportant / trivial? The dead 17 & 18 year olds who were speeding with no seat belts & killed my 12 year old daughter & themselves, have no chance to discuss.
@RishiSunak
@Keir_Starmer
@BorisJohnson
No leadership
#RoadSafety
Are Britain’s roads safe? My MP
@FabianLeedsNE
asked a question at
#PMQ
today on Vision Zero (thank you!) to which
@RishiSunak
agreed that “we should do everything we can to improve road safety.” Are we currently doing everything we can?
#stoproaddeath
Leadership role: The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety
@pacts
aims to have a transport system free from death & life-changing injury, in which all users feel safe. A great job opportunity to lead it & make a real difference ⬇️
My daughter - Alice - was killed in a crash (4 weeks before her 13th birthday) which also killed the driver & his passenger in the oncoming car. All totally avoidable. Today 5 people will be killed and 70 seriously injured which is why we need to
#stoproaddeath
To those suggesting that
#VisionZero
is impossible because “accidents will always happen.” This is a real world example of where
#stoproaddeath
has happened for crashes causing death or serious injury
We should pause to remember a tragic first - Bridget Driscoll was the first pedestrian to be killed by a car driver on this day in 1896. Data is not accessible for how many people have been killed on our roads since, but it’s many hundreds of thousands.
Happy to have a “row”
@Telegraph
but as I can’t read your article, I don’t know who the “rural campaigners and parent groups” branding a British
#GDL
as “perverse” are, so don’t know who to to debate with.
Taking a legislative step to introduce a British
#GDL
would be a big
The number of drink drive deaths reported at highest levels since 2009.
England, NI, and Wales has the highest allowed blood alcohol levels in Europe.
There has been policy inaction in road safety policy for 20 years.
Whilst the policy solutions which might follow from these
For all the media outlets who are still using ‘accident’ and behind the NHS & emergency services & others who have used crash or collision for decades - here is some help! Too many recent examples of reporting which is offensive to victims
#stoproaddeath
A slight re-write!
Last week
@MPIainDS
and his backbench Bill to include cyclists in death by dangerous (cycling) driving laws was supported by
@Laua_Farris
(Minister for victims). Zero pedestrians were killed in cyclist crashes in 2022.
In 2021,
@BorisJohnson
and the national
Today,
@pacts
and partners published a ground-breaking Road Safety Manifesto.
Also today,
@MPIaianDS
and his backbench Bill to include cyclists in death by dangerous (cycling) driving laws, moved forward with government support. 15 people were killed in cyclist crashes.
Last
Rural roads: the discourse on road death tends to ignore rural roads. This is despite the fact 60% of people killed in road crashes happen on rural roads, and people killed on rural roads are over represented when compared to the proportion of all traffic (44%). Making changes
Second, the data (see graph) shows a devastating slow down in progress. Britain used to be well to the left in this performance measure, and is now well to the right.
This is important because:
In 1987, a national strategy kick started a renewal in road safety and saw huge
60% road deaths happen on rural roads, yet we don’t talk about them: airtime is on urban roads & smart motorways. In 2019
@transportgovuk
committed to establish a Rural Road Advisory Panel to address that stat, but changed their minds. Today, 60% road deaths are on rural roads.
The hidden scandal of complacency continues, with the election campaign almost silent on road death and road danger. The tragic death of this 12-year-old (seemingly killed by a young driver) is the latest example of how truly devastating road deaths are and there is yet another
Today on Father’s Day, a Dad in Coventry is mourning the loss of his 12-year old son, Keaton Slater, killed by a hit and run driver.
But road violence is something society doesn’t seem to want to tackle, despite road crashes taking more lives than murder and terrorism combined.
A debate about smart motorways is valid
@dngbbc
But if there were 38 deaths, as you reported in a year but there were 5 a day on other roads, why is this your priority? Is a smart motorway death more valuable to journalists than other road deaths?
Yet another heartbreaking report
@BBCBreakfast
of deaths & serious injuries in young driver crash. 5 families altered forever 💔🤗. Yet more devastating evidence for our campaign for a British
#GDL
which can avoid up to 40% lives / serious injuries
Not a big deal with those of you with loads of followers … but today I hit 500 followers. Thinking back to when I was pleased with 50, that’s progress. Thank you! Let’s all
#stoproaddeath
#talkaboutroaddeath
together.
The number of families joining our campaign group and so supporting a British
#GDL
is almost at 100. Science tells us young drivers need help and support to transition from learner to novice to gaining experience.
We’re not going away!
@Beccysays
@SharronHuddles2
@owe65332
My MP
@FabianLeedsNE
secured an assurance in
#PMQ
from
@RishiSunak
that he would do “everything” to stop road death. A 🧵on the risk to young drivers & others impacted when they crash. In 2021,
@TransportCttee
reported on the higher risk of death & injury to young drivers & (1)
In the scheme of things, the number of
@X
followers is no great achievement. But, in Twitter-land, for me, getting to 1,000 followers is pretty pleasing. This happened sometime over the last week. I remember just tweeting to ten people ….. Thank you!
Let’s challenge the
More coverage on Graduated Driving Licensing on
@theJeremyVine
today - if you want to listen it is from 1:04:26. It is obvious from some of the comments we need to do better to explain
#GDL
. E.g. it does not stop a young farmer from driving to work
Especially pleased to support the Road Safety Manifesto because it is signed by so many organisations - all agreeing to it and the 4 priorities: in one single statement. No dissent on what needs to be put in place quickly to stop road death and reduce serious injury on Britain’s
We have read in the news about frequent road deaths of young people in cars over the past 2 months - in Wales, Durham, Dorset, Calderdale, etc.. . It seems the right time to share this again. Here we called for
@transportgovuk
and Gvt to take action to support young drivers. No
The election manifestos ignore road death or road danger reduction, and
#GDL
too. But our campaign goes on with grit & determination with cofounders of
#forgetmenotfamiliesuniting
SharronHuddles2
@Beccysays
@owe65332
+ 100 families.
If you ever wondered why harms from motor vehicles receive opposite responses from different folk, watch this. I campaign to
#stoproaddeath
, but pollution, inactivity etc are discussed. Great video and cites
@ianwalker
work on
#motonormativity
Hello
@wesstreeting
@Keir_Starmer
I read your Child Health Action Plan with interest as a Dad, a children’s nurse and a campaigner to
#stoproaddeath
I commend you for your focus on those who will create our future. But, unless you address dangerous roads, you will fail on much of
Great news
@JamesLewisLab
@ScrutinyLeeds
have approved Vision Zero & now aim to stop deaths & catastrophic injuries on our roads in Leeds. This is such an important & often ignored area and I am so pleased it’s now being taken seriously. Thank you to all involved
@helenhayden01
People killed or seriously injured in young driver crashes:
@transportgovuk
say “the latest statistics show that the number of fatalities involving 17-24 year olds on Britain’s roads is falling.” Mmmmmm!
@transportgovuk
data shows that the number has actually increased - this
A crowd of us gathered at
@Nat_Mem_Arb
(which is beautifully serene) for the final mile of the
@RoadPeace
Challenge.
Forget-me-not Families Uniting and others were at the centre of the gathering with
@SharronHuddles2
calling for action on a British
#GDL
as “enough is enough.”
Thank you to
@thetimes
@NicholasHellen
for continuing the debate on how to best support the safety of young drivers & publishing my letter on
#GDL
Great letter included from the Australian experience!
#stoproaddeath
Loving the new (almost continuous) new bike lane - Roundhay to Moortown A1620. Looking forward to these lamp posts being moved as well.
@ConnectingLeeds
@cllrjudithblake
Thank you!