An Independent Road Victim Advocate will be based in the region at the cost of £60,000.
The Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex is funding it, and the road safety charity BRAKE is providing the advocate.
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “Through on-going conversations with the road safety charity Brake and hearing about the work of its National Road Victim Service, I noticed a gap in our support provision regarding family members of those killed or seriously injured on the roads. I wanted to provide families who are going through unimaginable distress, with a specialist and tailored support network that will complement the investigative and operational work of our FLOs.”
Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “We welcome the announcement of specialist support for road victims from the road safety charity Brake to help support families affected by death and serious injuries on our roads in Sussex.
“Tragically, we know that 45 people died in collisions on our roads last year, and we know the devastating and ongoing impact this has on families, communities, and our officers who respond to these incidents.
“Having a dedicated Brake IRVA in Sussex will help provide further support to families, while we continue our work to improve road safety with our partners.”
Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, the road safety charity, said: “We are proud to be working with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, Katy Bourne, and with Jo Shiner, Chief Constable for Sussex Police. Their joint support for the plight of road victims is very evident and we are thankful that they have chosen the National Road Victim Service to provide support for families in Sussex, through a local Independent Road Victim Advocate.
“At Brake, we know that the right support at the right time can change the course of someone’s life. Being able to access specialist, trauma-informed support delivered by Brake’s National Road Victim Service makes such a difference. We look forward to working in partnership with Sussex Police to support families in need.”
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