This guide is also relevant if you are have not been affected by a crash, but you are concerned about road danger for a reason that personally affects you, and you have a story to tell (for example, fast traffic down your street).
You may want to share your story in your community, through the media, or online. This can be a powerful way to help other people:
- understand the devastation of crashes and their causes
- understand why national policies and local action is necessary, and support a campaign you are promoting
- donate to a fundraiser you are doing on behalf of Brake
Help giving a victim statement
This guide is not about giving a victim statement for use in a court case or other legal proceedings. For information about doing that, contact our National Road Victim Service.
Looking after yourself, and others
The wellbeing and privacy of you and others comes first, when considering publicising your story. Telling a story of personal disaster, and the aftermath of it, or talking about feelings of fear on roads, can be exhausting and upsetting. Before deciding to share your story, it is advisable to think about:
- what you will achieve. Set your sights realistically to avoid disappointment. For example, telling your story may, importantly, raise awareness of road safety issues, or funds for Brake, but not necessarily achieve a particular campaign goal, quickly. Don’t expect too much, too soon; and remember that every little counts.
- timing. It is your choice, and different circumstances will dictate timing for different people. Some trauma experts recommend waiting significant time after a sudden bereavement; for example a year or more.
- what else is happening. For example, if you, or others, are ill (mentally or physically), or facing significant practical or emotional problems, or significant rehabilitation challenges as a result of injury. This may or may not be the time to talk.
- support you can access. For example, from people who love you, or from Brake’s National Road Victim Service, while you are telling your story or afterwards.
- other people’s feelings and views. For example, if your story involves or affects them.
Step 1: Planning what to say
It is important to plan what to say and to talk it through with others including family, friends, or a professional helping you, for example a lawyer you are using, or a police family liaison officer (if you have one), or Brake’s National Road Victim Service. Consider:
What happened and what am I allowed to say? If you are unsure, check with the police, or lawyers (working for you, or prosecuting someone charged with a traffic offence in relation to the crash). It is important to not compromise a criminal prosecution or a claim for compensation.
Always check if there is anything you must not say. For example, it may be OK to talk about injuries sustained and damage caused to vehicles in the crash, but not OK to talk about the speed of a vehicle, if a court case has yet to establish this.
How has it affected your life or others’ lives? Consider carefully what you want to say about the effect of the crash on you and others. If other people are affected, talk with them about what you may all wish to say, and how to word it, and anything you want to keep private.
Were you helped by Brake? If Brake’s National Road Victim Service helped you, then it is your choice to consider saying how it helped; and encourage people to donate so we can help others too. You might want to thank other people too, such as a police family liaison officer, emergency services or bystanders who helped.
What campaigns does your story support? You may want to say something in support of a national Brake campaign on a topic relevant to your crash, or a local campaign to help your streets be built better.
How can I help others through my story? You might want to use your story as an opportunity to give people information about casualties on roads in your region, and their causes, so people are better informed and can support road safety policies and behaviours. Get in touch with Brake for information you can pass on.
Step 2: Planning how to say it
Writing it down: It is important to write down your story. This means you know what you want to say, and also means you have something you can issue to the media or others. Many of us are not natural writers. If you need help writing your story, ask someone you know, or a lawyer working for you. If you have written a victim statement for a court case, you may choose to use that. If you are planning to help Brake by supporting a campaign or fundraising for us, we may be able to help you write your story. Get in touch with to us and tell us what you want to do.
Always check your facts and ensure what you are writing is legally allowable and true.
Talking to journalists: You cannot stop print, online, radio, or TV journalists approaching you, but you can choose either to talk to them, or not.
Journalists can help create valuable publicity, particularly if you are campaigning for a road safety policy or road improvement; or are fundraising for Brake.
The easiest way to start a conversation with journalists is to send them your written story. You might choose to issue your story in the form of a press release. This is a statement written in a format that journalists will recognise, explaining what you are doing and why, your story, some relevant facts that are interesting and newsworthy, and how to contact you. You can also invite journalists to a ‘photo call’ or an event. To find out what a press release looks like, go to our media centre.
Decide in advance if you are prepared to give interviews on radio or TV. This can be particularly challenging. You may decide you are prepared to do it. Or you may decide that someone else will speak on your behalf, for example another family member, friend or lawyer.
If issuing a photograph or video of someone who has died, think how they would wish to be remembered, and consult with any other family members.
Community talk How we connect with others, and the extent we do not that naturally, depends on our lives and personalities. You may be a member of one or more local clubs, or online community forums, or not connect much with others at all. Some of us work in large corporations with access to thousands of colleagues, and some of us on our own. Some of us are in close contact with schools or other institutions. Think about community connections you have and how you might use them, and what suits you, your skills, and your networks. Some people find public speaking to a group of people easy, but others find it very hard. Some people know how to issue effective social media posts.
If you have few social connections, there may be someone else in your family or friendship circle who has lots of social connections and can help publicise your story.
Whatever way you choose to tell your story in your community, use our top tips to tell it effectively:
- short: to hold attention
- true and interesting: stick to simple, compelling facts that play to your audience
- positive: convey that people can make a difference, in simple ways
- action stations: end with something people can easily do, now (eg. donate to your Brake fundraiser, or join a Brake campaign)