Every August, the national charity RoadPeace remembers those who were killed or injured on our roads. The organisation is made up of bereaved family members, those who have been injured and those who are campaigning for greater safety on Britain’s roads. RoadPeace report that every day, 5 people die in road traffic accidents on Britain’s roads and 3900 die on roads worldwide.

RoadPeace campaigners are fighting to change an “outdated legal system’ which has not evolved alongside the ever increasing number of vehicles on our roads and which still sees drivers who kill someone on the road escape prosecution.

Central to RoadPeace’s campaign is the principle of “Road Danger Reduction’: by making our streets safer, mortality and injury rates will fall.

With the school holidays in full swing, children are often outdoors playing with their friends, or simply out and about more frequently during the daytime at this time of year. RoadPeace holds events throughout August to highlight the need for greater safety over the summer months with memorial ceremonies taking place over the North West.

Promoting road safety and in particular reducing speeds in residential areas is a prominent topic at the moment. As we have previously reported, the Lancashire Telegraph’s campaign “Slower Speeds, Safer Children’ has been pushing for Lancashire County Council (LCC) to implement the 20mph zones across the entire region.

In light of the campaign, LCC have recently rolled out 20mph speed limits in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale with Blackburn and Darwen still to be persuaded. However, the aim is that by the end of 2013, Lancashire will be the first 20mph county. This can only be a positive step for the region.

By Nick Molyneux,
Personal Injury Solicitor, Lancashire