British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI) has pledged
its commitment to improving road safety by signing up to the
‘Share the Road to Zero' campaign.
The Department for Infrastructure's ‘Share the Road to Zero' aims
to reduce road deaths by encouraging us to take more
responsibility and care on the roads.
BHF NI, which funds research into heart and circulatory diseases,
has joined a growing list of organisations pledging to ‘Share the
Road to Zero' and is encouraging others to do the same.
The Northern Ireland Football League, Ulster GAA, PSNI, Northern
Ireland Ambulance Service, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue
Service, Sustrans NI and councils have also backed the campaign.
Seventy one people lost their lives on roads in the north in
2023, compared to 55 deaths in 2022 and 50 in 2021 and many
hundreds of people have been seriously injured.
Fearghal McKinney, Head of BHF NI said:
“We've chosen to partner on the Road to Zero campaign to
encourage road users to take the opportunity to commit to two
ways to save a life; to be a safe road user and to learn CPR.
“There are around 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every
year in Northern Ireland. Tragically, less than one in ten people
survive, a statistic the BHF is determined to improve by giving
everyone the opportunity to learn CPR. Our free and
innovative online training tool RevivR can teach CPR and the
correct steps of defibrillator use in just 15 minutes.
“Today I am signing the pledge to Share the Road to Zero on
behalf of BHF NI, committing to acting in the safest possible way
on our roads every day, and I encourage other organisations and
individuals to do the same.
“I am also asking for people to take 15 minutes out to try out
our tool RevivR. All you need is a phone and a cushion and
it could help you save a life, a loved one.”
Lynda Hurley, Head of Road Safety Promotion at the Department for
Infrastructure said:
“I welcome this opportunity to work partnership with BHF Northern
Ireland, who work to help save lives every day by raising money
to help fund research into heart and circulatory diseases. I
thank them for signing the ‘Share the Road to Zero' pledge, and I
hope this encourages others to do the same.
“The evidence shows that more than 95% of road traffic
collisions, where someone is killed or seriously injured, are due
to human error. This means, deaths and serious injuries on our
roads are not an inevitable consequence of using the roads. The
majority of collisions can be avoided.
“One of the best ways to help ensure safety on our roads and
fulfil our long-term goal of eliminating death and serious injury
by 2050, is by changing our behaviour when using the roads. As
road users we all have a personal responsibility to behave in a
way that keeps ourselves and others safe. The sad reality is that
if we do not change our own attitudes when we are using the
roads, our death toll will continue to increase.
“If we pay attention and stay focused, drive at the appropriate
speed for the road or the conditions, never drink alcohol or take
drugs before driving and always wear a seatbelt, lives will be
saved. Together we can make a difference and move towards zero
deaths on our roads by taking the Road Safety Pledge.
“This is also a key opportunity to make that choice to take 15
minutes to learn how to save a life by trying BHF's CPR tool
RevivR.”
Pledging to ‘Share the Road to Zero' is an online click of a
button via www.sharetheroadtozero.com(external
link opens in a new window / tab) and can be done on an
individual basis or as an organisation. Once you have signed
up, you will receive regular and free road safety tips.
To try RevivR, go to bhf.org.uk/revivr(external link
opens in a new window / tab)
