“I’ve always been keen on working for community organisations and charities because it makes me feel that I’m giving something back to society.
I’d been involved with road safety in the UK, so when I moved over to New Zealand with my partner Sam, who’s in the building trade, about six years ago, it was really great to get a job here as development director with Brake.
Basically, we try to raise awareness of the best driving practice and make it clear that having an ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude isn’t going to help you avoid disaster, but safe driving can. Getting that message through to New Zealand drivers – especially young men – who think that they’re invincible, is very important to us.
We emphasise to parents that it’s up to them to show their children careful behaviours on the road and to be the best role models that they possibly can. When you think about it, driving is one of the most dangerous things many of us ever do and at Brake, we use statistics a lot to help people understand the potential outcomes of taking risks.
You might not have known that a pedestrian hit at 30km/h has a 90 per cent chance of survival compared with being hit at 50km, in which case that chance is just 20 per cent. Or that in 2015, drink or drug driving was a factor in 28 per cent of crashes, causing 90 deaths and 1500 injuries.
Driving while distracted – even with hands-free phones – raises the risk of an accident and is becoming a more common problem, so we’re looking at new initiatives to help educate the public about this issue.
We need support from the community for the work we do and we’re lucky that many big companies are on our side offering funds, facilities and office space.
We work closely with companies who operate fleets of vehicles and guide them in achieving better education and best practice. Our other vital function – the one we constantly fundraise for – is providing support to crash victims and their families.
When someone you love dies suddenly in an accident, it comes as a terrible shock. If you’ve never experienced it before, you’ll have loads of questions and probably lots of fears, so we work hard to provide resources that can help you.
We have a booklet for adults that covers all those feelings of shock, disbelief, helplessness and panic you may be feeling. It offers practical ideas for coping without needing to resort to drugs or alcohol in order to survive the tragedy and its aftermath.
Some of the saddest stories we hear are from children who have lost a relative in a road accident and we’ve collaborated with Brake in the UK to produce a really good picture book called Someone has Died in a Road Crash that helps them to understand aspects such as why people die and what happens at a funeral. It’s very interactive, and provides space for them to write down their thoughts and paste in photographs.
It has easy-to-understand answers to questions, such as ‘Can I see the body?’ Children are told how to make memory boxes or plant a special tree and how to cope when going back to school. The book also covers topics such as organ donation, and we’re always pleased when someone tells us that it was helpful to them and their family.
Even outside of work my passion for what I do comes through. I was a Brownie and a Girl Guide during my childhood in the UK. Here in Auckland, I’m involved with the scouting movement and lead a group of Keas – six to eight year-old boys. Needless to say, we often talk about road safety!
I like to keep fit with jogging and Pilates. I did my first half marathon last year – and a sky dive, raising money for Brake, of course.
I really hope that over time, New Zealanders become much more careful on the roads. It’s quite a spread out country, so we all rely on our cars a lot and just by following simple rules, such as wearing seatbelts, not speeding and not driving while impaired by drugs and alcohol can all make a difference.”
What moves me to tears: Hearing the stories of families bereaved in crashes. It’s such a devastating experience and something that affects families for the rest of their lives.
What I’m reading: Most of my reading these days is articles about road safety research and technology, but I’m also reading The Girl on the Train at the moment.
I hope I’m remembered for: Helping others. I believe you should aim to leave this world a little bit better than you found it. Find a cause you’re passionate about and see what a difference you can make.
To find out more info about road safety charity Brake New Zealand, click here
As told to Lousie Richardson
