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Road accident support charity available to Channel Islanders

RoadPeace, which has been working in the UK for the 30 years, wants people here to use its services.

RoadPeace wants people in Jersey and Guernsey to be aware of and use its services after visiting the islands last week to speak to police and politicians.

RoadPeace provides mental health and legal support after a road accident, and works on policy to improve road safety.

The Chief Executive Howard Jones has been in the islands this month to raise the profile of the charity's work and services.

"We work with the stories and the lived experiences, giving support to people who are inevitably impacted by road crashes when they occur. 

"We also work with the data and intelligence that revolves around the causes, and use that to inform effective, better policy.

"All we are saying is that 'we are here' and we will work in partnership with you, because we are allies. 

"We will work in partnership with the police. For example, they can inform us towards the best support - legal, mental health, bereavement or counselling - for us to signpost. We are someone to turn to."

Recent data revealed Jersey has the highest road casualty rate in Britain, with 214 in 2023.

Data for 2023 provided by States of Jersey Police

In February,  the Jersey's government produced its first Collision and Casualty Reduction Plan, aiming to halve the number of road casualties on Jersey's roads in the next decade.

READ: Action plan aims to halve Jersey road deaths and injuries

The long-term goal is 'Vision Zero'  - the ambition that deaths and serious injury on the roads are completely eliminated.

 

"The plan acknowledges that while human error is inevitable, the severity of collisions can be significantly reduced through forgiving road design, safer vehicles, appropriate speeds, better driver behaviour and effective post-collision care and response, and learning lessons from collisions to try and prevent similar collisions occurring in the future."

 

During his visit to the Channel Islands, Howard Jones from RoadPeace heard more about the plan.

"The Jersey Road Safety plan - which has just been produced - we think it's great and is something that can be relied upon and replicated across the Channel Islands."

RoadPeace's resources can be found here

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