Take part in Road Safety Week and help save lives urges charity

Families and community groups are being encouraged to sign up to get involved in Road Safety Week 2017 (8-14 May), to help spread life-saving messages and make communities safer.

Road Safety Week is coordinated by Brake, the road safety charity, and supported by sponsors QBE Insurance. It's an ideal opportunity for community groups, families, schools and companies to take action on local road safety issues, and run activities and campaigns to promote safe road use and prevent needless casualties.

This year the Week coincides with the UN Global Road Safety Week and has the theme of speed. Brake will particularly focus on speed as a key factor in the severity of a crash and determining its outcome, and will be urging everyone to play their part in keeping our roads safe, particularly appealing to drivers to help keep vulnerable road users, like children, safe on roads by slowing down around schools and in communities.

Parents and budding community road safety champions can find ideas on getting involved and register by going to www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz. Everyone who registers will be sent a free email action pack with downloadable road safety posters and resources, plus tips, advice and case studies to help plan successful activities for the Week.

Caroline Perry, Brake's NZ director said: "Road Safety Week is a fantastic opportunity for communities to raise awareness of local road safety issues by engaging schools, local businesses and neighbours. It's free to sign up and get access to resources to help you run activities and campaigns reminding drivers and other road users of key messages and drawing attention to your local issues. I urge any organisation or individual who wants to raise awareness in their community to sign up."

If you are part of an organisation or group that would like to get involved in Road Safety Week activities, more information is available at www.roadsafetyweek.org.nz.

The charity is also looking for people who have been bereaved or seriously injured in a crash, and people who have campaigned for lower speeds or speed-related engineering measures in their community to share their story and help others learn from their experience.

Brake will be communicating vital road safety messages as part of Road Safety Week, and those who get involved would be asked to provide a case study of their experience. There are also opportunities to provide quotes and/or give interviews to support these messages. Potential families or individuals can discuss their experience with Brake before signing up, and those taking part will be provided with training and support before, during and after the week.

People interested in providing a case study can contact Caroline on 021 407 953 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Brake also provides free support resources for people bereaved in crashes. A book for children, called Someone has died in a road crash, and one for adults on coping with grief, are available for free from Brake. These can be ordered by calling 021 407 953 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..