A dedicated, locally based caseworker will provide specialist, trauma-informed support to families bereaved by crashes on the region’s roads, as well as those who have suffered serious injuries.
Brake’s National Road Victim Service already provides a free service throughout the UK for anyone who has been bereaved or seriously injured in a road crash, or anyone who is supporting a road victim.
The new, enhanced package, will ensure practical and emotional support is available to more victims and affected families in West Yorkshire, offering face-to-face contact and improving the quality of services local victims receive.
Jan Vekaria, from Shipley, received support from Brake after her husband Parv died from his injuries following a crash involving a dangerous driver on the wrong side of the road.
Jan said: " I couldn't have got through this without [support from] Brake. It made a massive difference. My caseworker was so good at helping me by explaining what was going to happen. She helped me so much and I’ve been able to continue to speak to her.
"I remember the first few visits and I probably just cried a lot. I just needed someone there who understood and was really sympathetic.”
The new Brake caseworker will be able to help road victims and their families to navigate the many different, unique and complex challenges that people often face after a road crash, while also reducing the risk of re-traumatisation. They will work closely with other organisations to help victims get any additional support they may need.
By providing face-to-face support, they will also be able to assess first-hand how someone is coping after a crash and identify more easily any hidden needs that may otherwise go unrecognised.
Victims and their families may also be eligible to receive support through the Restorative Justice process or access services such as counselling delivered as part of the overall services available to victims in West Yorkshire. Click here to find out more.
Alison Lowe, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and Chair of the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Board, said: “I know first-hand what it’s like to lose a loved one in these circumstances.
“The pain and devastation is immeasurable and we must do all we can to support people affected by these tragedies.
“I am pleased we have been able to secure the new role which will make a real difference in our communities as we work together to reduce road death and serious injuries to zero.”
Brake’s National Road Victim Service provides support through paid, professional caseworkers who have a broad range of experience and expertise in a number of areas, including clinical care, mental health, housing, collision investigation and the judicial process.
Over the last year, the charity has supported more than 2,000 families across the UK, including 84 bereaved and injured individuals living in West Yorkshire.
Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, the road safety charity, said: “We are so grateful to Jan for sharing her experience and helping people understand how the support she received from Brake has helped her.
“We know that the right support at the right time can change the course of someone’s life. For Jan, being able to access specialist, trauma-informed support delivered by Brake has made such a difference. We know that there are many other families out there who need our help after a road death or serious injury, and we are here to support them in their darkest and most difficult times.
We are proud to be partnering with the West Yorkshire Vision Zero team and we look forward to working with the team to support families in need. Their support for the plight of road victims is very evident and we are thankful that they have chosen Brake to provide support for families in West Yorkshire, through a local caseworker.”
About West Yorkshire Vision Zero
The West Yorkshire Vision Zero Strategy is an innovative development in how road safety will be improved and lives saved.
The strategy aims to eradicate all road deaths and serious injuries across the region by 2040.
It will focus on the safe system approach - safe roads, behaviours, speeds, vehicles and an effective post collision response.
Under each of these themes sit objectives for the short and longer term but at the strategy’s heart is the message that everyone has a responsibility to keep people safe on our roads, and we must all work together to create the lasting change needed.
Emergency services, local authorities, National Highways, victim support services and road safety campaigners are all backing the strategy and make up the West Yorkshire Vision Zero Partnership.