Commissioner visits Aftermath Support to understand support service for those involved in traffic collisions

People involved in road traffic collisions are not necessarily seen as victims of crime in the traditional sense of the word. During Road Safety Week, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, John Dwyer, wants to share key information from his recent visit to Aftermath Support, a charity who provide support services for everyone who has been involved in an RTC.

During the visit, the Commissioner heard first-hand the impact the Cheshire and Merseyside based charity has not only in communities in those two regions but across the North West.

John Dwyer, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “One death or serious injury on our roads is one too many.

“Knowing that there is support available to those involved in incidents, whether it’s bereaved families, injured persons or drivers, riders, or witnesses, everyone gets the support they need to process the incident.

Karen Blair, CEO for Aftermath Support said: “We’d like to thank Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer for taking the time to visit us and hear about the experiences of road crash victims and bereaved families and listen to the positive impact our team has on all those affected by road crash. As a service that people probably won’t have heard of until the worst possible time of their lives, it’s essential that the free and confidential emotional and practical support and advice our team can provide is available to those who need it.

“The Commissioner’s support for our work also helps us to ensure the voices of road crash victims and bereaved families is heard, which is fundamental to helping prevent others from experiencing life changing trauma through road crash. We all need to take responsibility in how we use our roads to play a part in making our roads safer for everyone.”

The Fatal 5 is a set of the main factors that contribute to collisions that result in death or serious injury. They are:

• Careless driving
• Drink/Drug driving
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Distracted (using a mobile phone whilst driving)
• Speeding

John Dwyer added: “In my Police and Crime Plan I set out how I wanted to make the roads safer in Cheshire. I will continue to work with partners to educate road users, especially around the Fatal 5, and work with services who support victims on their road to recovery.”

More information about Aftermath Support is available here:

https://www.aftermathsupport.org.uk/

Pictured -  Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer with representatives from Aftermath Support.