RoadPeace
supporting crash victims reducing road danger
Shakespeare Business Centre
245a Coldharbour Lane
London SW9 8RR
press release
helpline: 0845 4500 355
info@roadpeace.org
www.roadpeace.org
Tel: 020 7733 1603
NO EMBARGO
6 November 2014
Charity calls to design out speeding on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
A memorial service is taking place to remember the 1.24 million people who are killed every
year on the world’s roads across the country. [ADD YOUR EVENT DETAILS]
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is on Sunday 16th November 2014.
Just one week after those killed in war are honoured, bereaved families, politicians, and
representatives from the emergency services will gather to remember all lives lost and broken
on our roads in a number of events taking place across the country. See below for full list of
events.
This year the theme for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is ‘Speeding
Kills – Design out Speeding’; inappropriate and excessive speed is a key cause of crashes, road
death and injury. RoadPeace is calling for the use of technologies such as speed limiters and
black boxes to be fitted in vehicles, as well as a default urban 20mph limit.
‘On World Day of Remembrance we stand together to remember the millions of people who
have been killed on the world’s roads. We know that excessive & inappropriate speed causes
road death and injuries; and we also know that when speeds are reduced, the number and
severity of crashes are also reduced. So today we call on decision makers and car manufacturers
to do all that they can to design out speeding. Until this happens our loved ones will continue to
be killed in foreseeable and avoidable crashes.’
Cynthia Barlow, bereaved mother
and RoadPeace Chair
Member of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) which has UN consultative status
Registered charity No 1087192. Company limited by guarantee, registration no 4165519
CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND CASE STUDIES
YOUR DETAILS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1 Key stats
 1.24 million people are killed on the roads worldwide every year
 Since WDR was initiated in 1993, over 22 million people have been killed on the roads worldwide
 Road crashes are the number one cause of death among those aged 15-29 years
(Global Status Report on Road Safety 2013:
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2013/en/index.html)
2 About the World Day of Remembrance
This year marks the 21st anniversary of the World Day of Remembrance. First introduced in the UK by
RoadPeace in 1993, it quickly spread to other European countries, before being adopted by the United
Nations in 2005. It offers families and friends an opportunity to come together to remember loved ones,
to give thanks to the emergency services, to highlight this unacceptable death toll, and to reflect on what
can be done to prevent future deaths.
3 About the World Day of Remembrance theme
Speed kills – design out speeding
Let’s make 2011-2020 a Decade to remember!
Excessive speed is a key contributory cause of road deaths and injuries; hence technologies that design
out speeding would potentially provide the safest vehicles – both to people outside and occupants. This
theme relates to the call in Pillar 3 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Safer Vehicles – for
vehicles with improved vehicle safety & crash avoidance technologies and with high levels of occupant &
vulnerable road user protection; for consumer information about safety performance of motor vehicles
and minimum crash test standards, among others.
Global Plan for the Decade of Action:
http://www.roadsafetyfund.org/Documents/road_safety_fund_prospectus_lr.pdf
4 World Day of Remembrance activities 2014
Details about UK events are listed below and can also be found on our website:
http://www.roadpeace.org/remembering/world_day_of_remembrance/services2014/
Information about global activities taking place to mark the World Day of Remembrance can be found on
the World Day of Remembrance website: http://www.worlddayofremembrance.org/
Member of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) which has UN consultative status
Registered charity No 1087192. Company limited by guarantee, registration no 4165519
The following services all take place on Sunday 16th November 2014, unless otherwise indicated:
Abergavenny, St Mary's Priory, 3pm
Rev Mark Soady 01873 853168
Hull, St Mary the Virgin, Lowgate, 2pm
Rev. Paul Burkitt 01482 218879
Alrewas, Bike ride to the RoadPeace Wood at the
National Memorial Arboretum, followed by a
memorial service at 1pm, at the RoadPeace Wood
Jim Everett 07950 963163
Kidderminster, St Ambrose Church, 3pm
Christine Sollom 01299 832581
Barnsley, St Peter’s Church, 4pm
Fr Paul Cartwright 01226 282220
Bath, The Guildhall, 11am
Steve Duddell 0117 945 3034
Bedford, St Paul’s Church, 3pm
Alison Panton 01234 843345
Cambridge, St Luke’s Church, 3pm
Rev Deborah McVey 01223 249116/01223 217769
Dronfield, St Paul’s Methodist Church, 10.30am
Rita Blackwell 01246 413592/07801 540675
Exeter, Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service,
2.30pm
Jeff Baker 01392 435627
Gloucester, Gloucester Cathedral, 3pm
Neil Heavisides 01452 523987
Grimsby, Grimsby Minster, 3pm
Mel Parkin 01522 504095
Halifax, Halifax Minster, 4pm
Halifax Minster 01422355436
Leeds, Leeds Minster, 3pm
Peter Summerscales or Trish Keast 01484 723649
Liverpool, St John’s Gardens, 1pm
Pauline Fielding 0151 342 6381/07703 357 504
Liverpool, St George’s Hall Concert Hall, 3pm
Pauline Fielding 0151 342 6381/07703 357 504
London, St James’ Church, Piccadilly, 2.30pm
Roadpeace office 020 7733 1603
Northampton, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
3pm
Chris and Nicole Taylor 01604 705171
Preston, Christ Church Chapel, 11.30am
Helen Fairhurst 01772 537960
Ripon, Ripon Cathedral, 3pm
Judith Bustard 01765 603462
Scofton, nr Worksop, St John’s Church, 3pm
Anthea Moat 01909 472324
Sheffield, Upper Chapel, Unitarian Church, 6.30pm
Rev David Shaw 0114 272 5338
Thame, St Mary the Virgin Church, 3pm
Elizabeth Richardson 01189 231802
Hereford, Hereford Cathedral, 3.30pm
Rev Jill Talbot-Ponsonby 01989 565003
Thurso, United Reform Church, 3pm
Anna Briggs 01847 890653
Edinburgh, Location and time TBC,
Please contact June Ross 01224 330680 for further
information
Stourbridge, Bethel Chapel, 6pm
Jane Hodges 01384 8922137
Wick Caithness General Hospital, 2.15pm
Please contact Anna Briggs 01847 890653
Light of Hope initiative
All are asked to light candles (or any other light) and to illuminate porches, houses and civic buildings
from 6pm to midnight, but especially between 6 and 8 pm.
Member of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) which has UN consultative status
Registered charity No 1087192. Company limited by guarantee, registration no 4165519
5 RoadPeace
RoadPeace is an independent national charity, providing practical information, emotional support and
advocacy to those affected by road crashes; as well as campaigning for justice for road crash victims and
for road danger reduction policies.
RoadPeace was a winner of the Guardian Charity Award in 2008:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/video/2008/dec/04/guardian-charity-awards-roadpeace
6 RoadPeace Campaign for Justice: RoadPeace campaigns for justice for road crash victims by calling for
improved investigations, effective inquests, appropriate prosecution and sentencing, fair compensation,
and equal rights for crash victims.
7 Crash not Accident: RoadPeace is calling for an end to a language of neglect and denial and for policy
makers and the media to stop using the word ‘accident’ when referring to road crashes, and to adopt an
appropriate, constructive and accurate terminology such as crash or collision:
http://www.roadpeace.org/resources/Crash_not_Accident_May_11_2011.pdf
8 Road Danger Reduction: RoadPeace was founded in 1992 on the principle of road danger reduction
(RDR). This places a greater duty of care on those that pose the greater threat, and argues for danger to
be controlled at source through reducing the speed, volume and dominance of motorised traffic. RDR
differs from traditional road safety by adopting a wider approach that considers not only the quantity of
death and injury by crashes but also the other negative consequences of inappropriate and excessive
motor vehicle use such as fear and intimidation, environmental impact and public health issues.
__________
ENDS
Member of the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) which has UN consultative status
Registered charity No 1087192. Company limited by guarantee, registration no 4165519