This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Launch of road death pack
14/10/2003
Families of road death victims will have better
access to advice and support thanks to a new
advice pack launched today.
The advice pack, funded by the Executive, is being
distributed to police forces throughoutScotlandand will fill an important gap in the provision of
information to bereaved families and friends following a
death on the road.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said:
"Losing a friend or a relative in a road death is
a traumatic experience that too many Scots have to deal
with. The shock of the loss means that help and support
must be close at hand.
"As the police will often be the first people to
come into contact with a bereaved family, it makes
sense that they are aware of the types of support that
families require in the immediate aftermath. I hope
this pack will help the police at this difficult
time.
"This advice pack will provide practical and
emotional support for victims. For example it offers
advice on where to get support. It deals with issues
such as post mortems, the possibility of organ donation
and it provides information about compensation
claims.
"The Scottish Executive is taking a proactive
role in ensuring that those who have lost a loved one
in a road accidnet are aware of the help available to
them and that they feel informed about practical
issues. This information pack will help ensure that
they feel less isolated.
"This pack is an important step in moving forward
the Scottish Strategy for Victims. We are working with
our partners in the criminal justice system to increase
support for victims and improve information. I hope
that everyone involved in supporting bereaved friends
and families will find this information pack
useful."
Mary Williams OBE, chief executive of BrakeCare
said:
"BrakeCare receives really positive feedback from
families acrossEnglandandWaleswho are given the pack following a road death. Many
find the information it provides gives them a lifeline
during what is probably the worst time of their life. We
are pleased that the Scottish Executive are funding this
new pack for people in Scotland whose loved one is killed
on the road."
Superintendent Chris Thompson of South Yorkshire
Police said:
"The packs are an invaluable asset to officers
investigating road deaths and dealing with bereaved
families. They help officers to fully explain the
various complexities involved in road deaths and give
the victims families invaluable assistance in the days
following the tragedy. It ensures that all aspects are
covered and points the right direction for any
subsequent enquiries."
A woman whose husband was killed in a motorbike
crash said:
"I got the blue folder from my family liaison
officer. I just wanted to say that I've read and
re-read the little yellow booklet - so much so that
it's all tatty now. I think it's wonderful."
In October 2002 the Victim Steering Group agreed
that an information pack detailing procedures following
a death on the road should be launched.
The pack is produced by BrakeCare and includes advice
on symptoms of bereavement, ways to relax and information
about the different kinds of help and support available. It
also covers practical issues and legal processes. A similar
pack is already available inEnglandandWales.
BrakeCare is the care division Brake, the
national road safety charity. Brake produces
educational road safety literature and runs events such
as Road Safety Week. BrakeCare also provides support to
families and friends affected by road crashes by
providing literature and advice through the BrakeCare
helpline.
BrakeCare have consulted widely with Scottish
criminal justice agencies and organisations including the
police, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service,
theScottish CourtService and Victim SupportScotlandto ensure the advice pack is accurate and up to
date.
The Scottish Executive's Victims of Crime Branch
is funding the printing and distribution of the
information pack to police family liason officers,
which is expected to cost 11,000 pounds sterling in its
first year. Thereafter, ongoing distribution and
updates are expected to cost 10,500 pounds sterling
each year.
Giving out copies following a death on the road is
recommended as best practice by the Scottish Executive and
The Association of Chief Police Officers inScotland.
The Scottish Executive is committed to cutting road
deaths and serious injuries by 40 per cent by 2010,
compared with the average for 1994-98. We are also
determined to halve the number of children killed and
seriously injured in that period. Figures published in June
this year show that road deaths and serious injuries in
2002 were 27 per cent below the 1994-98 figures, and that
child deaths and serious injuries were down 38 per
cent. 8. Deaths and serious injuries are now at
their lowest levels since records began more than 50 years
ago. Even so, an average of 6 people died and 364 were
injured each week on
Scotlandsroads last year. That means there is still a lot more
to be done.