RoadPeace North East announces first road safety DVD during Road Safety Week 2017

To mark the start of Road Safety Week 2017 (20 – 27 November 2017), RoadPeace North East has today (Monday 20 November 2017) announced the production of their first road safety DVD, aiming to warn school children and young adults of the dangers and consequences of road collisions.

The resource is to be filmed and produced by local group RoadPeace North East, who seek to raise awareness of road dangers as well as offering practical support to victims and their families. The different films will offer age-appropriate content for pupils at primary and secondary schools as well as college-aged students.

David Robinson, Chair of RoadPeace North East and a serious injury specialist at Thompsons Solicitors said: “The importance of educating children and young adults on road safety cannot be overstated, which is why we’ve been inspired to create something that could make young people think twice before taking risks, speeding or using their mobiles at the wheel, potentially saving lives being lost.

"The announcement from RoadPeace North East comes during Road Safety Week, and follows their fourth annual memorial service held at Durham Cathedral on 4 November 2017. The DVD will feature testimonials from victims of the families of those who have been killed in road crashes."

Anita Thompson, from County Durham, is working on the project - sponsored by Thompsons Solicitors - in memory of her son Nick, who died at the age of just 27 after a car he was travelling in collided with a tree near Whorlton. 

Anita said: “This will be a fantastic resource for young people and schools across the UK –RoadPeace North East are committed to not only supporting those affected by road crashes but to ensuring it never happens to anyone else. A road crash leaves a sudden, terrible hole in people’s lives, and although I will never get over losing Nick, this project will give me a chance to use the experience I had to help others. I’d like to thank Thompsons Solicitors for their sponsorship of the film and commitment to road crash victims across the UK.” 

Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Andy McDonald said: “This campaign really matters and I support and endorse it wholeheartedly. It is in all our interests to use our roads safely and prevent crashes and the devastating consequences for individuals and families. We must set ourselves a target of zero crashes and zero loss of life, and serious injury, on our roads.”