Bishop's letters: November 05 The Dean

Remembering Road Victims

All too often we see a yellow sign beside our roads. It is an appeal for witnesses following a fatal road crash. In a moment our journey has taken us past the sign and other things demand our attention. But behind each and every such road crash sign, we know, is a personal tragedy.

The statistics are chilling. 10 people die in crashes on British roads every day; 1000s more are injured. In Cumbria, from April 2003 to March 2004, 50 people were killed as a result of road traffic collisions; sadly the period April 2004 to March 2005 saw an increase to 58 deaths from such road crashes.

If we give ourselves time to reflect we soon see how great a price is being paid on our roads in terms of human loss, grief and care. We think first of those who have lost their lives – suddenly, unexpectedly, unprepared. We think of family and friends who are bereaved, their lives turned upside down in a moment, unable to believe the news that they have been given, wrestling with a myriad of questions about the how of it all. We think too of those who survive a road crash but are left traumatised by their experience and, often, facing life-long injury and disability. We think of those who are unable, perhaps, to forgive themselves for their part in what happened, or unable to forgive themselves for being alive when others have died so tragically.

More widely we need to remember those who are involved in the aftermath of a road crash incident – the Police, Fire Service and Ambulance personnel who serve at the scene of the crash; doctors and nurses at Accident and Emergency units; those who offer vital counselling to those affected - among them the Police Family Liaison Officers who seek to “investigate each death as if someone we loved was involved.”

Nationally, the charity RoadPeace (www.roadpeace.org) has organised a helpline for road victims for more than 10 years. The helpline number is 0845 4500 355. It offers support, advice and information for 12 hours each day. Local groups and annual events organised by the charity give further long term support and friendship.

Beyond its concern for the individuals concerned, RoadPeace has become an advocate for road crash victims, working to ensure their trauma is more widely acknowledged, campaigning to make our roads safer for all users and joining with other bodies internationally to address an issue which affects so many people. In April 2004 the World Health Organisation produced a report on Road Injury Prevention and the United Nations discussed “the global road safety crisis” at a General Assembly meeting in New York the same year.

In my first year in Cumbria I was dismayed to find so many stories of fatal road crashes appearing in the local media; dismayed too to see how often young people were the victims of such collisions. It seemed right to work with others to plan an act of worship for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. The service will be held at Carlisle Cathedral on November 20th 2005 at 3.00pm. Road crash victims will be remembered by name and the care and commitment shown by our Emergency Services and others will be affirmed. All are very welcome.

Whether or not we are able to attend the service, we can pray that day for all whose lives have been shattered and hope to see lessons learnt from the dreadful tragedies which unfold on our roads every day.

Mark Boyling, Dean of Carlisle