Why Road Safety Week matters

It’s Road Safety Week (16–22 November), a national campaign led by the road safety charity Brake, which works with communities to champion safer roads and support those bereaved or seriously injured by road crashes. It’s the UK’s largest road safety campaign, aiming to inspire action and share messages that could save lives.

We all know the importance of staying safe on the roads, but it’s easy to get caught up in daily routines and morning commutes without truly thinking about what road safety means. Road Safety Week is a cause especially close to my heart, and I want to share my experience to raise awareness and offer support to others in our community affected by road traffic accidents.

My first encounter with Brake came after the loss of my partner, Mitch, in July 2024, while I was on maternity leave. Mitch was on his way home from work after a night shift when he was involved in a collision and never made it home. He had recently found a job he loved, was surrounded by friends and family who adored him, and had just become a proud dad, a role he cherished, even though his time with our son was heartbreakingly short. His day had started like any other and we all went about our morning as usual, but this quickly became a day our family’s world completely changed in an instant.

That morning, I opened the door to two policemen, and in that moment, I knew something terrible had happened. They gently broke the news to me and stayed until my family arrived. I will always be grateful for their kindness and compassion; it must be an incredibly difficult duty to deliver that news to someone. Essex Police supported us through every step of the process following the collision. I especially want to thank my Family Liaison Officer, Karen. Her warmth and care are something I will never forget; she stood by me, ensuring my son and family were looked after during the hardest moments of our lives. Brake’s National Road Victim Service was also a vital source of support. Their helpline and online resources helped me begin to understand the painful reality of losing someone on the road, while guiding me to the help available when I needed it most.

Like many families across the UK, we lost a loved one tragically and unexpectedly. Over the past year, I’ve had to grieve the loss of my partner, navigate life as a single parent, return to work, and adjust to a future I had imagined very differently. This has been an incredibly difficult journey, and I still have a long way to go, but I know I’m not alone. My family is one of the 1,700 in the UK who lose someone each year to road accidents, many of which are preventable.

Road Safety Week gives us a chance to remember loved ones and work together to raise awareness, helping protect other families and our communities. I’m deeply grateful to my amazing team and colleagues for their support over the past year and for helping me share my story today.

Whether you come to campus as a pedestrian, cyclist, or driver, please help keep yourself and others safe by following these tips:

• Ensure your vehicle is roadworthy
• Get your vehicle serviced regularly
• Perform safety checks before each journey
• Check tyres and brakes often
• Maintain your bike if you cycle
• Be visible as a pedestrian—especially during darker evenings
• Allow extra time for winter travel
• Stick to speed limits and drive according to road conditions
• Avoid distractions
• Stay vigilant, watch for cyclists and motorcyclists, and always check your blind spot