Last night, the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) launched their film Stop Killing Our Children. This film, crowd funded by concerned citizens,  highlighted the devastating effects due to society, and policy makers’,  complacency towards the damage caused by misuse of the motor vehicle. It included powerful testimonies from bereaved families which exposed the failings of the justice system and made the case for urgent action to tackle road violence and traffic harm

Founded on road danger reduction in 1992, RoadPeace very much welcomed this film and had contributed to its making. The film included an interview with Amy Aeron-Thomas, RoadPeace’s Advocacy and Justice Manager, who highlighted the continued discrimination of crash victims and shared  examples of how road crime is not treated as real crime.

The film opened with the powerful testimony of bereaved mother Nazan whose child Hope was run over and killed. Victims’ voices like this need to be heard, so that others understand the devastation caused by road danger and the need for urgent action and are inspired to take action. RoadPeace has campaigned hard for voices of victims to be heard more. We will continue to advocate with and for victims to get their experiences heard by those who have the power to make changes.

We hope the film will be watched and shared by many.

Victims deserve better – better is possible – and change is happening.

Earlier this week the Polis network published a New Paradigm for Safe City Streets.  Its ten principles include:

• Don’t blame, protect
• Mobility must be safe, or it won’t become sustainable
• Reduce risk at source

So as many take to the streets today to strike about Climate Breakdown, as well as celebrate Car Free Day on Sunday and National Bike to School week next week,  RoadPeace stands in solidarity calling for streets that don’t kill our children and a justice system that takes road death and danger seriously.

Updated on: 20 September 2019