‘Travel like you know them’: Road safety made personal

Earlier this summer, the UK government relaunched its THINK! road safety campaign, reminding people to ‘Travel like you know them’ to highlight the human cost of road traffic accidents.

The idea behind the campaign is simple but important: to be more careful and considerate when we are driving, by treating everyone on the road as if they were our family or friends. This includes fellow car passengers, but also more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooterists and motorcyclists.

As a personal injury law firm, we help people and their loved ones deal with the aftermath of road traffic accidents that were not their fault. The consequences are often life-changing, including serious injuries such as brain and head injuries, spinal injuries, nerve damage, broken bones and even in some cases death. Victims and their families also face the emotional fallout and financial impact of their accident, which can add further pressure to people as they simply try to recover and move on.

Road traffic accident compensation can help people and their loved ones to move on from an accident by funding treatment and rehabilitation, covering lost earnings, and serving as recognition of the pain and distress road accident victims have experienced.

However, the best way to avoid suffering is ultimately by stopping accidents before they happen, by being aware and acting responsibly when driving or travelling on our roads.

Highway Code update reminders

‘Travel like you know them’ ties together an emotional appeal to allow vulnerable road users to travel safely, with practical reminders of the Highway Code rules. It aims to change behaviour by reminding people that their fellow road users are not just vehicles or obstacles, but real human beings with loved ones and busy, happy lives.

To underline this, THINK! has created a series of adverts featuring different characters such as cyclist Gary, a ‘frazzled dad escaping to work’; motorcyclist Ali, a ‘man of many talents’; and rider and horse Freya and Binks, who ‘both love selfies’.

They all show situations others can relate to, reminding viewers that every person on the road is important to someone else, making drivers and other road users think twice before driving or using the road without proper care and attention.

Each advert also shows an example of the 2022 Highway Code update, whether this is giving way to pedestrians at junctions, cycling in the middle of the lane when appropriate, or using the ‘Dutch reach’ to open a car door.

Working together for road safety

Tom Hartigan is a specialist personal injury solicitor from our Southampton team. He supports people and their loved ones with road traffic accident compensation claims, and says:

“Something we see in our work as personal injury solicitors is the life-changing impact a road accident can have on the life of an injured person and their loved ones. This is part of the reason why the ‘Travel like you know them’ campaign is so important. It’s a creative way to change how we think, reminding us that our fellow road users deserve – and are legally entitled – to travel safely, particularly more vulnerable travellers like pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders who face a higher risk of serious injury in a road accident.

“Taking a moment when driving to understand that careful, considerate road use is an important part of our responsibility towards others means that everyone gets the chance to live their life to the fullest without the fear of accident or injury.”

If you or a loved one has been involved in a road traffic accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to claim compensation. Our expert team of caring personal injury lawyers can help you access the justice and support you deserve on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ basis.

To arrange a free, no obligations chat with a legal expert, call our Freephone on 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or complete our online enquiry form.