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November16–21

Road Safety Week – November 16-21, 2024

Road Safety Week, held this year from November 16 to 21, is the United Kingdom’s biggest road safety event, coordinated annually by the road safety charity Brake. The initiative aims to inspire thousands of schools, organizations, and communities to take action on road safety and promote life-saving messages during the week and beyond. With someone injured on a UK road every four minutes, it’s vital to come together and spread awareness about speed during Road Safety Week. 

History of Road Safety Week

Road Safety Week was founded by the road safety charity Brake in 1997 as an annual event to raise awareness about road safety and promote steps that everyone can take to stop needless deaths and injuries year-round. 

In 1995, Brake was founded by former transport journalist Mary Williams, with the aim of providing victim support and preventing road deaths and injuries through community and policy-orientated campaigns.  Mary Williams formed Brake with the aims of victim support and preventing road deaths and injuries through campaigns that were both community and policy-oriented. She was awarded the OBE — Order of the British Empire — for her services to road safety in 2000.

In September 2014, Brake organized an online webinar for European countries. They aimed to promote Road Safety Week as a fun and engaging way to get life-saving road safety messages out to the public and help prevent road death and injury. The free webinar showed what Road Safety organizers do and how Road Safety Week impacts road safety in their country or locality.

1.35 million people die on the world’s roads each year and many more suffer a serious injury. Road traffic injuries are the leading killer of children and young adults aged 5-29 years. Many of the world’s road deaths involve a vehicle being driven for work. Not only this, work vehicles cause extensive pollution. This is why the United Nations marked its first UN Global Road Safety Week in 2007, to reduce road traffic fatalities. Mary Williams spoke at the 5th United Nations Global Road Safety Week 2019, giving us renewed opportunity to be leaders for safe and healthy mobility.

Now, Road Safety Week in the UK is a time where all sorts of people get involved – nurseries, schools, youth clubs, army bases, community campaigners, employers, sports clubs, fire officers, police services, local authorities, paramedics, and driving instructors. Various interactive activities are available in neighborhoods and online, to promote life-saving messages about road safety.

Road Safety Week timeline

2020
No need for speed!

Road Safety Week launches their 2020 theme ‘No Need For Speed’, as a reminder to everyone of how the speed they travel affects other people.

2019
A global message

Mary Williams OBE speaks in the lead up to the 5th United Nations Global Safety Week, acknowledging that strong leadership is needed to advance road safety in countries and communities.

2014
Promoting abroad

Brake organizes an online webinar for European countries, aiming to promote Road Safety Week as a fun and engaging way to get life-saving road safety messages out to the public.

2000
High achiever

Mary Williams, the founder of Brake and Road Safety Week, is awarded the OBE — Order of the British Empire — for her services to road safety.

1997
Road Safety Week begins

Road Safety Week is founded by road safety charity Brake as an annual event to raise awareness about road safety to prevent needless deaths and injuries.

Road Safety Week FAQs

When did Road Safety Week start in India?

On 15 March 2010, India’s Union Cabinet approved the National Road Safety Policy based on the Sunder Committee’s recommendation in a report it submitted in February 2007.

 

What is the importance of Road Safety?

It is very important to be aware that road traffic injuries remain an important public health problem. When road safety products are utilized correctly or efficiently, they can help save lives, prevent accidents and injuries, and keep society functioning most optimally.

 

What was the theme of UN’s Road Safety Week 2019?

The UN Road Safety Collaboration announced the theme of the 5th UN Global Road Safety Week, quoting, “Leadership for road safety. The goal of the week, which will be held from 6-12 May 2019, is to generate demand from the public for stronger leadership for road safety worldwide.

How To Observe Road Safety Week

  1. Fundraise for Brake

    Help Brake support people affected by road crashes and campaigns for safe and healthy mobility for everyone by fundraising during Road Safety Week. Fundraising is a great way to promote road safety within your community. You could do something as simple as organizing a bake sale or go to town by setting a team-building day with a charitable focus.

  2. Get creative about road safety

    For inspiration, you can read about how people got involved in previous years during Road Safety Week or take a look at evaluation reports available online. Road Safety Week is your week, so what you do is your choice! The week also focuses on different ways and creative ideas people use to spread vital life-changing messages in their community.

  3. Slow down!

    Next time you are driving, it’s vital to be aware of your speed even if you’re in a rush. Consider slowing down and ensure you’re abiding by the speed limit because it can literally save lives.

5 Frightening Facts About Road Safety

  1. UK road accidents

    Every day, on average, five people are killed and 64 seriously injured on UK roads.

  2. A global issue

    1.35 million people die on the world’s roads each year and 50 million are injured.

  3. Taking the young

    Road accidents are the leading cause of death around the world for people aged 15-29.

  4. Motorbike danger

    The most dangerous form of transport is motorcycles with 112.3 deaths per billion miles traveled compared with 2.0 deaths per billion miles for people who go by car.

  5. First pedestrian killed

    The first pedestrian killed by a car in the UK was Bridget Driscoll, 44, of Croydon in 1896 — curiously, her almost namesake, Bridget O’Driscoll was a Titanic survivor in 1912.

Why Road Safety Week Is Important

  1. It saves lives

    Road safety is something important that must be followed at all times to ensure the safety of the operators of the vehicle, passengers, and pedestrians. Traffic rules and guidelines have been set in place so that serious injuries and deaths can be averted.

  2. It brings together the community

    Fundraising is a great way to promote road safety within your community while also helping a vital cause that saves lives on the road. Make sure to join your local school or various organizations in spreading awareness about road safety while also participating in fun events.

  3. It helps road safety professionals

    Road Safety Week not only inspires thousands of schools, organizations and communities to take action on road safety, it also allows professionals working in road safety to boost awareness of the risks involved whilst working on the road. Site teams carry out surveys on the risks and dangers of working on the highways, as well as detailed risk assessments. Road Safety Week reinforces their commitment to safety on the roads.

Road Safety Week dates

YearDateDay
2021November 16Tuesday

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