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A poignant procession of motor vehicles will gather at Gloucester Fire Station later this month (July 22nd)*. Each will be a car, lorry, van or motorcycle in which one or more person died in road traffic crashes in Gloucestershire in the last year.  The line-up will consist of 22 cars, a lorry and van, 9 motorcycles and 3 bicycles. There will also be four pedestrians together representing the 40 people who lost their lives on local roads in 2007. "Whilst it is encouraging that road casualties in Gloucestershire are at the lowest level since records began, that is little consolation to families who have lost a loved one - and in some cases, more than one," said Chris Griffin, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Chairman of the Gloucestershire Road safety Partnership. "We say it every year, and it is worth repeating, one life lost in a road collision that could have been avoided, is one too many". The roll call of vehicles has been organised by the road safety partnership in support of Roadpeace, the UK charity, which provides support for victims of road crashes and campaigns for road safety. The event will launch National Road Victim Month, which is held every August to highlight the huge death toll witnessed every day on roads up and down the country and the need to make them safer. "It is important that road users realise that this month is not just a one-off month," said Kate Tucker, Gloucestershire's Roadpeace representative. "People are out every day using roads and going about their business and I urge all road users to think about their responsibility on every single journey they make. "We must never think that this is something that only happens to other people because the consequences are so devastating. Families are literally torn apart when they lose a loved one in such a sudden and violent way. "Road safety is not someone else's problem; it is for every road user to play their part and use our roads with care and responsibility on every journey we make." Deputy Chief Fire Officer Griffin, who supports the Roadpeace event, says, "We must all do whatever we can to prevent these tragic collisions from happening, and with almost half of those killed on our roads last year being pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, this August Road Victim month must serve to remind us all to share our roads with care and responsibility, especially towards vulnerable road users. "Vehicles and mobility are a part of life we have come to expect by right these days, but they can also be part of death - unless with use them with responsibility and care". http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6551 |
