Experts Comment On Charity’s New GO 20 Initiative

By Rob Dixon

Lawyers who help victims seriously injured in road traffic collisions to gain access to vital rehabilitation services have welcomed the launch of a new campaign by safety charity 'Brake', calling on motorists to reduce their speed around schools, homes and shops.

Launched to coincide with children heading back to school, the GO 20 Campaign has been created to call on drivers to slow to 20mph on roads in built-up areas, even when the limit is 30mph.

According to Brake, five children under 16 are killed or seriously injured every day when walking or cycling in the UK and the speed reduction would make a huge difference in allowing drivers more time to react and to stop when dangers emerge.

The launch of the campaign has come after figures related by Road Safety Analysis and Axa Car Insurance suggested more than 1,000 children are being injured on roads close to schools every month.

Jane Horton, a Partner and expert in serious injury claims at Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, said the time of year when children head back to school was the right time for a road safety reminder.

She outlined: “Both Brake’s new campaign and the other figures released by Road Safety Analysis have shown that keeping children safe when walking to and from school remains very much a live issue.

“Through our work, we see numerous cases where people of all ages have suffered devastating life-changing injuries after being struck by cars or involved in collisions, helping them to secure vital funds which allow them to access key support services to aid their recovery.

“It is crucial that more is done to investigate new approaches to improving levels of safety on the UK’s roads and taking care in areas where there is a risk of children running into the road is a simple step which could make a huge difference.”

Read more about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in relation to Road Traffic Accident Compensation Claims