Families across Cleveland suffering bereavement or life-changing injury from serious road traffic collisions will receive specialist support thanks to a new round of funding.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) has awarded national road safety charity Brake £7,320.00 from the Police Property Act Fund.
Road victims face many complex procedures after a crash, such as identifying a loved one’s body, attending a criminal or inquest hearing, and understanding how a collision happened.
The grant will contribute towards tailored support from Brake’s National Road Victim Service, which works to meet individual needs.
It is anticipated a total of 10 families across Cleveland will receive support over the next 12 months.
The grant will also pay for a set of 50 information guides which will be distributed to road victims by Cleveland Police family liaison officers, who have first contact with road victims.
The guides are easy-to-read and give practical and emotional advice to victims, their families and those working with them.
Newly elected PCC Matt Storey visited the Cleveland’s Roads Policing Unit to announce the funding during his first week in office.
The visit gave Matt the chance to introduce himself to the officers who work to keep the region’s roads safe.
He said: “It’s important for me to hear about the vital support and service Brake provides for victims, families and loved ones, during incredibly tragic circumstances.
“I hope the funding helps ease the anxiety and distress felt by road collision victims and helps to strengthen Brake’s specialist service which provides a lifeline to people across Cleveland during their darkest days.”
Segreant Mark Leadbitter from Cleveland Police’s Collision Investigation Unit, added: “The support and service from Brake is invaluable and will complement the work of our specially trained family liaison officers.
“We raise awareness of campaigns all year round, focussing on reducing the number of fatal and serious collisions on our roads, but unfortunately we cannot prevent them all.
“Families who are bereaved and in distress need to have specialist services and support available to them, and this funding contribution goes some way towards providing that.”
Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, added: “Being able to access trauma-informed support delivered by a specialist caseworker here at Brake’s National Road Victim Service can make such a difference to coping and resilience.
“We look forward to working in partnership to deliver this vital support.”