Road Safety Week: Ideas and Resources for North West Businesses

The North West, with its bustling business community and 22.9 thousand miles of roads, is something of a transport hotspot. 

In 2023, 35.9 billion vehicle miles of traffic were travelled across the diverse network of roads in this region, according to the Department for Transport. Other than the East and South East of England, the North West is the most travelled area in the entire UK. It’s no wonder why the vast landscapes here have proven popular for emerging industrial and logistics schemes.

However, that doesn’t mean that these roads are free from accidents or incidents that can change lives; if anything, far from it. In recognition of Brake’s National Road Safety Week fast approaching (17 to 23 November 2024) business owners and decision-makers have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in saving lives and promoting safety among drivers.

Statistics on North West Road Accidents

Every year, according to Brake, approximately 1,700 people lose their lives on UK roads, with an additional 28,000 sustaining catastrophic or life-changing injuries following an accident.

In the UK alone, there were 133,443 road traffic accidents in 2023. Recent data also suggested that North West vehicle user collisions totalled 10,375, which, considering the total reports of collisions in England (98,564), is quite an alarming statistic.

While this figure has been the lowest since 2013 for the region, it’s still prudent to highlight road safety initiatives and campaigns to keep drivers safe and the community thriving.

For every casualty or injury, there are families affected, as well as colleagues, employees, and friends whose lives are dramatically altered in an instant. 

As such, it’s in North West businesses’ best interests to dedicate attention and action to this cause, to keep the community firmly banded together and to minimise damage to infrastructure and livelihoods.

Why Businesses Should Care

Road safety isn’t simply a case of preventing accidents; it’s about protecting your most valuable asset: your people. Companies that deploy robust and tangible road safety strategies will see:

• A reduction in workplace-related injuries
• Lower insurance costs or payouts for company vehicle collisions
• Evidence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) being taken seriously
• Better all-round employee wellbeing
• Fewer disruptions to business operations
• More seamless business continuity

Expert Legal Perspectives on Road Safety

We spoke with George Ide LLP, a leading personal injury law firm with extensive experience in road traffic accident claims, about the importance of proactive safety measures.

“From our 40+ years of supporting individuals through road traffic injury claims, we’ve witnessed first-hand the life-altering consequences of preventable accidents,” says a spokesperson for George Ide LLP. 

“For individuals and businesses, road safety is a moral responsibility. Safety measures and mindfulness will prove invaluable for businesses if they want to reduce the risk of incidents that devastate families and disrupt communities nationwide.“

Brake’s Road Safety Week: A Call to Action

This year’s Road Safety Week places road victims at the heart of its campaign. The initiative aims to:

• Raise awareness about the devastating impact of vehicle crashes
• Celebrate those who support families after road deaths or serious injuries
• Call for higher standards of victim care and sustainable funding
• Bring communities together to remember and support affected families

Brake provides a National Road Victim Service – a free, personalised, professional service for road victims. The organisation is spearheading the development of a Road Victims’ Charter, calling on the new Labour government to provide funding and parity of care for road victims and their families, regardless of their location. The organisation also encourages children and young people to learn about the people who help victims following road crashes.

Brake’s support doesn’t stop there: it helps organisations that employ drivers to learn about the reasons behind robust investigations into road accident causes. 

Practical Steps for North West Businesses

For North West businesses that want to encourage better road safety and awareness for drivers they employ, consider the following steps this Road Safety Week.

1. Workplace Policy Development

• Review and update your company’s driving and travel policies
• Implement mandatory driver safety training
• Establish clear guidelines for work-related travel
• Conduct regular safety checks for company vehicles

2. Employee Engagement Initiatives

• Host a road safety awareness workshop
• Distribute informational materials about safe driving
• Encourage employees to share personal road safety experiences
• Create incentive programmes for safe driving practices

3. Technology and Monitoring

• Invest in telematics and fleet management systems
• Use GPS tracking to monitor driving behaviour
• Deploy lone worker safety alarms with real-time alerts
• Implement driver scoring and feedback mechanisms
• Consider dash cam installations for company vehicles

Local Context and Resources

While road safety is a national concern, the North West has specific challenges considering the many ‘A’ roads that pass through the region. The M6 was recently deemed the worst motorway in the entire country in a survey of 9,000 road users. The M61 and M56 also see their fair share of commercial traffic every day, with recent news of serious crashes and fatalities this year alone. 

Businesses that rely on these roads for transit of their products at the hands of at-risk drivers should consider connecting with other North West business networks to establish collaborative safety initiatives. These will help ensure their drivers are kept as safe as possible when confined to travelling on the most ‘dangerous’ roads in the region.

Companies should also consider contacting local road safety partnerships and regional teams represented by Highways England for optimum driver safety.

Getting Involved with Road Safety Week

Brake offers free resources for businesses wanting to participate:

• Sign up for the official Road Safety Week action pack
• Download educational materials
• Share campaign messaging on company channels
• Organise internal awareness events

Free Resources

• Visit: www.brake.org.uk/roadsafetyweek
• Call: 0808 8000 401
• Email: help@brake.org.uk

A Collective Responsibility

In conclusion, it’s important to remember that road safety transcends individual actions. Accidents happen every day, and while most are minor and inconvenient at best, others can be much more devastating. This is why committed, collaborative action between businesses, employees, and community stakeholders will prove crucial.

Dedicate time this Road Safety Week to raise awareness, implement safety measures, and support those affected by road incidents. In turn, North West businesses can play a vital role in creating safer roads for everyone, one journey at a time.

Road Safety Week 2024: 17 to 23 November