Road Safety Week - Every single week at least one person is 'not coming home'

One person loses their life on our roads on average every week and 57 have already died this year. That's the hard hitting reality here and something that everyone needs to play their part in changing.

Every road victim counts - that is the message from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), the emergency services and volunteers who support the families of victims of road traffic collisions as Road Safety Week gets under way.

More than 4,000 people were killed or seriously injured in the north from 2019 to 2023. The victims of those crashes, including those who have been injured, their families, friends and the emergency services, are at the centre of Road Safety Week 2024 (17-23 November).

DfI Minister John O’Dowd believes road safety is an issue for all of us as a society. “Every single week, at least one person – a mum, a dad, a son, a daughter, a friend - is not coming home to their family and their loved ones. 

“These are people, not just a statistic, and their lives are shattered and will never be the same again.

“Long after the headlines are forgotten, victims have to live with the loss, the memories and the thoughts of what could have been."

He continued “We also depend on our emergency services to attend serious collisions to help prevent loss of life.  They are people doing a job, but we must remember the impact the scenes they attend must have on them personally. 

“I have met many families who have had loved ones killed or seriously injured on our roads and I know that they really value the support they receive from the emergency services and the charitable organisations that provide them support. I wish to thank them for the very essential and often lifesaving role they play."

Mr O'Dowd concluded “I appeal to all road users to think about their behaviour. Be mindful of others and proceed with care at all times, to ensure everyone gets home safe. 

“I would encourage you to share road safety messaging so it reaches as wide an audience as possible and to talk about it with your friends and family – by doing so, you could be helping to save a life. 

“The harsh truth is that we all need to wise up when we are using our roads because if we don’t, the number of deaths will continue to rise.”

Evidence shows that more than nine out of 10 crashes are caused by human error. The decisions we make when using the road. Therefore, the majority of road traffic collisions are avoidable and we can be the difference if we slow down, pay attention, and never, ever drink alcohol or take drugs and drive.

Chief Superintendent Sam Donaldson from Operational Support Department speaking of the number of people who have already died on the roads this year said: “This figure is much more than a statistic. Each individual death leaves behind families and friends who have been involved in traumatic, life-changing experiences.

“We often fail to recognise the impact these incidents can have on first responders in blue light services who attend these scenes. They too are human beings who must deal with the most horrific of circumstances yet still find a way to do their job.

“Reducing deaths and serious injury on our roads is a policing priority and we all have our part to play in keeping our roads safe."

Highlighting what he called the 'fatal five' Chief Superintendent Donaldson added “Don’t drink or take drugs and drive; slow down; don’t be careless; always wear your seat belt and never use your mobile phone whilst driving."

Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Chief Executive Michael Bloomfield, said: “Our crews have witnessed harrowing scenes that would make most people recoil. But their professionalism and their innate desire to save people enables them to do what they need to do at the scene to give every patient the best possible chance of survival.

“Most upsetting for them is being witness to the loss of a young life for whom they could do nothing - young people who had their whole lives to live.

“In the aftermath of these incidents, when the seriously injured have been left to the care of the medics in the emergency department, or those who did not survive have been taken to a mortuary, our crews are left with the reality of what they have just witnessed."

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Assistant Chief Fire & Rescue Officer Marcus Wright said: “Alongside our colleagues in other emergency services we witness first-hand the carnage on our roads and the lives destroyed as a consequence.

“In 2023, Firefighters attended 723 road traffic collisions and rescued 201 people trapped inside their vehicles. As road users we all have a role to play in making every journey safe to ease the pain, loss and suffering to individuals, families and communities.

“We are urging you to drive to the road conditions, don’t speed, allow more time for your journey and don’t get distracted when driving, especially during this time of year when we’re faced with challenging weather, such as black ice and flooding.”

This Road Safety Week, the Department encourages people to take the ‘Road Safety Pledge’ to be as safe as possible on the road. By signing up to the Share the Road to Zero pledge, you are committing to be the best road user than you can be – whether as a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist or horse rider, and adopt positive road user behaviours.

‘Share the Road to Zero’ is a road safety community engagement programme that encourages all road users to take personal responsibility for their own safety and by doing so also the safety of others on our roads. Pledging is quick, easy and free at www.sharetheroadtozero.com and you will join with the many others, both individuals and organisations, who receive regular advice on how to stay safe as you use the road.