On day four of the RoadPeace Andy Cox Challenge, a Mum who lost her eight-year-old son in a tragic crash on a motorway four years ago is calling for vehicle manufacturers and insurers to play their part in the reduction of road deaths and injuries.

Today’s theme is Manufacturers and Insurers. It calls upon manufacturers to ensure vehicle safety is the priority in their advertising, and performance is second. It also calls upon insurers to incentivise safe driving.

Meera Naran MBE, whose son Dev was killed on the M6 in 2018, is now an independent road safety campaigner, and since then has called for improved in-vehicle technology, such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), to be fitted as standard in all new vehicles.

‘Dev’s Law’ would see all need cars fitted with AEB, in-vehicle safety technology that monitors the road ahead and automatically slows down the vehicle if the driver fails to respond to a collision threat ahead. It could save more than 100 lives a year, according to automotive insurance research group Thatcham Research.

Mrs Naran said: “In-vehicle technology such as autonomous emergency braking, Dev’s Law, could prevent collisions, saving so many lives. Manufacturers have a key role to play in this, including raising awareness and education to support drivers. Promoting vehicle safety features and their benefits will revolutionise the future of road safety.

“Living with the pain of losing my son is something I wish no family ever has to go through. I fully support RoadPeace Andy Cox Challenge 2022 and this campaign to reduce road danger so no one has to needlessly lose their loved one in a preventable crash.”

Mrs Naran is proudly backing the #AndyCoxChallenge which is taking place throughout the week and involves around half of the UK’s police forces who are demonstrating their united commitment to reducing road death and injury.

Spearheaded by Det Chief Supt Andy Cox, Head of Crime at Lincolnshire Police, police officers and staff are running, cycling and walking across their force areas, between May 16-22, 2022.

The event has already £60,0000 for RoadPeace, the national road crash victims’ charity, but crucially, its aim is to get the public talking about road deaths and the devastation they cause to families and communities every day.

Det Chief Supt Cox said: “Meera is a remarkable lady – not publicly dwelling on the tragic circumstances of her much-loved son, but instead positively campaigning for change in the hope of preventing others from having to endure what her family has faced over the last four years.”

Updated on: 19 May 2022