The Executive Director of Road Safety Foundation is welcoming the Government’s Road Safety Strategy, but is warning that we need the money to make it happen.

Dr Suzy Charman has told this week’s Highways Voices podcast: “It’s no good just having strong targets. We need the money identified to actually make the impact. If we’re serious about preventing more than 95,000 deaths and serious injuries, we have to invest and act now.”

The Safe System expert with specialism in the Safe Roads and Safe Speeds elements commented: “We’ve not had a road safety strategy for a very long time, so it’s really superb to have something to convene around. It signals a clear commitment from government, and the level of ambition is extremely welcome.”

But she warns: “A 65% reduction goes beyond anything we can see anywhere else in the world. It’s going to take real funding and determination, and some of the policies needed to match that ambition won’t be terribly popular.”

And she critiques policy by stressing: “We need to stop setting speed limits based on how fast people are already driving, and start setting them based on road function, vulnerability and survivability.”

The podcast drops on Wednesday morning and will be available on the Highways News website.  Click here to find out how to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

(Picture – Yay Images)