Launch of a dedicated road victim service
Support for road victims across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes will be delivered by Brake, the road safety charity.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, has provided funding of £57,395 to Brake for a period of 1 year (commencing on 1st April 2025) as a local proof of concept.
Announcing the service, Matthew said: “The aim of the Thames Valley-wide road victim service is to provide a support service that offers advocacy, emotional and practical support to residents seriously injured as a result of a road traffic incident.
“The service will aim to enable road traffic collision (RTC) victims to be able to support themselves independently or through an appropriate peer support network, with referrals coming into the service from Thames Valley Police Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) or the Serious Collision Investigation Team.
“Road safety forms a key part of my Police and Crime Plan, and there is already excellent work taking place to improve the safety of our roads.
“By commissioning a dedicated, local road victim support service, this will further support the work set out in my Road Safety Strategy in an effort to reduce the impact of road traffic collisions on residents across Thames Valley.”
Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, the road safety charity added: “We are delighted to be working with the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner’s office to provide families in Thames Valley with the support they need following a sudden loss or serious injury in a road crash. Being able to access specialist, trauma-informed support in local communities can make such a difference when families need it most.”
In the Thames Valley, Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) are assigned to the majority of road fatalities. This service will not replace the great work and specialist support already provided through FLOs, but instead add resource to the system, enhance local provision and effectively support victims on our roads.
During 2024, there were 44 fatal casualties and 561 seriously injured victims on Thames Valley roads. This dedicated local service will provide specialist support to families who are bereaved following road fatalities. In addition to providing a service to victims on our roads who have suffered serious life changing injuries; such as loss of limb or serious burns.
The road victim support service will enable those seriously injured due to a road traffic collision (RTC) to manage the immediate traumatic impact and help them to cope and build resilience to move forward with everyday life.
For further details on the PCC’s work to improve road safety across the Thames Valley, please visit the OPCC website.
