‘Let’s talk about speed’ announced as UK Road Safety Week 2023 theme

The theme of this year’s UK Road Safety Week, run by Brake, the road safety charity, will be ‘Let’s talk about speed’.

This year’s UK Road Safety Week campaign takes place between 19 and 25 November 2023 and will bring communities and professionals together to talk about speed. Five people die on roads every day, so why do we still think it’s OK to speed?

The 2023 campaign will start the conversation about why speeding is thought of as acceptable in some situations, what happens when we speed and why reducing speed saves lives.

The theme was set following discussions with representatives from community groups, the police, Government, businesses, educators and other charities.

This year’s campaign will see a day for each group connected with Road Safety Week – meaning there will be many ways for everyone to get involved.

The Road Safety Week campaign is supported by funding from headline sponsors Arval UK and DHL.

Ross Moorlock, Interim CEO at Brake, said:

“Every time we drive faster than the speed limit, or too fast for the road conditions, we increase the risk of a crash – and we increase the chance that someone will be killed or hurt on the road. The faster you go, the longer the stopping distance and the harder you will hit something.

“Whoever you are, and however you travel – this year we are challenging everyone to start talking about speed with your friends, families and colleagues.”

Ian Pearson, Head of Driver Safety and Insurance at Arval UK, said:

“Sadly, police recorded that travelling too fast or exceeding the speed limit was a contributory factor in 25% of deaths*Data source: RAS0704: Speed-related factors [8] available on gov.uk Reported road collisions, vehicles and casualties tables for Great Britain., where an officer attended the scene of a collision – travelling slower may have reduced that terrible figure.

“To shape better driving decisions, we’d encourage organisations to sign up to support Road Safety Week in 2023. We believe this year’s focus will help make millions of people think before speeding and raise awareness to the impact it can have on the lives of others.”

Gavin Murdoch, Managing Director, Network Transport Solutions UKI at DHL Supply Chain, said:

“Once again DHL is pleased to be a sponsor for Brake Road Safety Week in 2023. Our Safety First culture strives not only to keep our colleagues safe on the roads, but also pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

“The focus for this year’s theme is very important to us in ensuring our professional drivers and colleagues remain safe on the roads. Continuing education of the impacts of speeding on our roads will be encouraged further during Road Safety Week in support of Brakes vital road safety work.”

Sign up to UK Road Safety Week 2023 to find out more and get involved.

* Data source: RAS0704: Speed-related factors [8] available on gov.uk Reported road collisions, vehicles and casualties tables for Great Britain.

About Brake, the road safety charity

Brake is a national road safety charity, founded in 1995, that exists to stop deaths, serious injuries and pollution on roads, and to care for families bereaved and injured in road crashes. Brake campaigns for safe and healthy roads through seeking government policies and investment to end the carnage, and through projects that help communities, schools and employers promote safe and pollution-free streets locally. Brake delivers Road Safety Week, the UK’s biggest road safety campaign.

Brake is the national provider of care and support to victims of road crashes and their families through the National Road Victim Service, helping families cope with the shock, turmoil and devastation that road crashes cause families across the UK every day.