Pictured above: Philip Edwards
Serious injury specialists with Irwin Mitchell solicitors are
backing a road safety campaign to raise awareness of the
devastating impact of speeding, in a bid to encourage drivers to
slow down and help keep children safe, as part of national Road
Safety Week (22 - 28 November 2010).
'Kids Say SLOW DOWN!' is to be the theme for this year's event,
organised by national road safety charity, Brake, after research
conducted by the organisation in 2008* revealed that a third of
children said they had nearly been hit by a car whilst walking
without their parents and a staggering one in 20 had actually been
involved in a collision.
Philip Edwards a partner with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, who
deals with serious injury claims involving road accident victims
and sees the impact that road traffic collisions can have on both
the victims and their families, is supporting the campaign, and
urging drivers to watch their speed, especially in areas where
children are more at risk.
Philip said: "Tragically we deal with the aftermath of
road traffic collisions on a daily basis, which are particularly
distressing when they involve children.
"We receive so many calls where a young child has suffered life
altering injuries because of a speeding driver who has not given
themselves enough time to react to the unexpected - particularly in
and around towns, villages and schools where children are
particularly vulnerable.
"We want to urge drivers to pay attention to the vital safety
messages that this year's Road Safety Week is all about - and to
SLOW DOWN to prevent needless injuries and deaths on the roads and,
subsequently, the devastation and heartache caused to families
that, in many cases, could have been avoided."
Latest road safety statistics from the Department of Transport
reveal that in 2009 there were more than 2,200 deaths of the roads
of Great Britain and more than 200,000 casualties
overall.
In the West Midlands alone, 73 people lost their lives and more
than 10,000 RTA casualties were reported in just one year.
Nationally, there were 2,671 child casualties. Of these 1,660
(or approximately 62%) were pedestrians. In 2009, 81 children died
as a result of road traffic accidents.