The Road Safety Trust, the UK’s largest independent road safety funder, has announced the award of over
£1.1 million in grant funding for six new projects focused on addressing inequalities in road safety.
These projects were selected following the Trust’s Autumn 2024 funding round, which invited applications for research and practical interventions that explore and address how different communities and individuals experience unequal risks on UK roads.
Following an extremely rigorous review by the Road Safety Initiatives Committee (RSIC) and the Board of Trustees, six projects have been approved for funding. All six are ‘Large Grants’.
The projects cover a diverse range of topics and will be delivered by a mix of academic institutions and community organisations. The successful projects are:
- RAC Foundation (in collaboration with Agilysis) – Understanding Vehicle Safety Inequalities in Great Britain
- Nottingham Trent University (in collaboration with Surewise insurers) – Motorised Mobility Devices: Incidents, Near Misses and Safety
- Nottingham Trent University (in collaboration with the Farm Safety Foundation, National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs and Esitu) – Tractor Driver Training: Creating a Hazard Perception VR Course for Agricultural Colleges
- University of Leeds (in collaboration with Leeds City Council, the National Autism Society and others) – Autistic Children Matter: Addressing Road Crossing Challenges from Multiple Perspectives
- University of Leeds (in collaboration with Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority) – e-SAFE: Equity, Social Determinants, Anti-social Behaviour and Future E-Mobility
- University of Oxford (in collaboration with Swindon SEND Families Voice, Living Streets, and the Council for Disabled Children) – Safe-SEND: Mapping Road Safety Challenges to Independent Mobility for Children with SEND
Ruth Purdie, CEO of The Road Safety Trust, said:
“These new grants reflect our growing understanding that road danger is not experienced by all members of society equally. By funding projects that tackle inequalities our intention is to shape a safer, fairer system for everyone.”
The next funding round will take place in late 2025/early 2026. Further details will be shared later this year.
(Pic: Road Safety Trust)
