The charity Brake, which supports people whose loved ones have been killed in a road crash, is appealing to men to acknowledge the greater risks they face on roads and make a ‘Pledge to Drive Safely’ this Valentine’s Day for the sake of those close to them – as a survey by Brake finds that nine in 10 women (89%) worry about people they love being killed on roads.
Brake is also calling on women to speak up if the men in their lives take risks behind the wheel, remind them of the appalling consequences, and the basic steps all drivers can take to safeguard themselves and others.
The survey of 800 drivers published today, found that a loved one being killed on our roads is one of the biggest fears for a third of all drivers (33%). However, women are more likely to have this on their minds regularly. One in eight women (13%) said they worry about their loved ones dying in a road crash ‘all the time’, compared to one in 13 men (8%).
The ‘For My Girlfriend Campaign’ shares a road safety message through care for our loved ones.
The survey suggests women are more likely to be clued up on the dangers on our roads, and this may be a factor in the way men and women drive and the higher risks men face. Research shows that:
- nearly three times as many males are killed on the road as females [1]
- men are twice as likely to be high risk takers on the road as women [2]
- 93% of driving convictions for causing death or bodily harm are against men, showing men are far more likely to take extreme risks that often lead to tragedy [3].
For young couples, fear of your partner being killed on injured on the roads is usually more justified than many other fears to do with the safety of loved ones. At the age when couples are forming, settling down and starting families, three times as many are killed in a road crash than die from drowning, fires and assault put together [4].
Brake’s care services for families bereaved and injured in road crashes are accessed by thousands of people each year experiencing terrible heartbreak, including many who have lost a partner suddenly and violently. As well as emotional trauma, these bereavements often have a devastating effect on family life, with those left behind often having to cope with financial hardships, complicated legal procedures, and a raft of other practical issues.
Julie Townsend, campaigns director of Brake, said: “It’s hard to imagine the pain of a partner dying from any cause, but the additional tragedy of death on the road is that it is sudden, violent, and preventable. There are ways to help protect yourself and your loved ones from road death and injury: by making Brake’s Pledge to Drive Safely you are taking vital steps to ensuring you don’t hurt yourself or others. Giving your partner peace of mind that you won’t drive dangerously is a great gift this Valentine’s Day.”
Valentine’s Day can serve as a timely reminder to keep our loved ones safe.
Case study: The Story of Alexia’s Fiance James
Alexia Tetchner, 27, from Liverpool, got engaged to James Roberts, her partner of five years, after he proposed on holiday in October 2008. They planned to get married in August 2010 and have children the following year. Alexia’s dreams were shattered when on 1 March 2009, James was suddenly and violently killed in a car crash.
James was a passenger in a car driven by his best friend, Peter Alan Evans. It was early afternoon; the driver had been drinking the night before. After the crash he was found to be more than twice the drink drive limit and had excessive amounts of co-codamol in his system. The car was a two-seater sports car but there were two passengers in the vehicle with the driver. James was in the passenger seat with another friend on his lap and neither was wearing seat-belts.
Evans tried to overtake shortly before a sharp bend. As he pulled out the passengers shouted for to him to pull back in as a motorbike was coming the other way. As he pulled in he was too close to the car in front and clipped it, which sent their car into a spin. James and the other passenger were thrown from the car.
James was alive and conscious for a short time after the crash. He lost consciousness and a nurse who happened to be at the scene tried to resuscitate him. He later died from his injuries, which included a brain haemorrhage and a fractured skull.
Evans was convicted of death by dangerous driving and sentenced to four years in jail.
Alexia was in shock from the moment that she heard the news. Her worst fears had been realised. Later that day she had to suffer the ordeal of identifying James’ body. Their plans in tatters, Alexia has since had to build a new life for herself without the man she deeply loved.
Alexia said: “James was stupid that day and, believe me, if he had survived I would have made it plain to him how stupid it was. He shouldn’t have been in that car; he never normally took those kinds of risks. This Valentine’s Day I will remember my love for James and mourn the life we never got to have together. Please, when you drive or when you are a passenger in a vehicle, think of your loved ones and don’t take risks.”
Alexia now volunteers for Brake to raise funds to support victims and campaign for safer roads.
For interviews with Alexia or a Brake spokesperson, call Ellen Booth on 01484 550067 or email ebooth@brake.org.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Avoid being another statistic and follow our 10 Road Safety Commitments
End notes
[1] Reported Road Casualties Great Britain 2009, Department for Transport, 2010
[2] Sex differences in driving and insurance risk, An analysis of the social and psychological differences between men and women that are relevant to their driving behaviour, The Social Issues Research Centre, 2004
[3] Criminal Statistics Annual Report 2008, Ministry of Justice, 2010
[4] Death registrations in England and Wales: Table 2 Deaths by age, sex and underlying cause, 2009 registrations, ONS, 2010; (Ages 15 – 44)