Sara Dowling

My grandma Kathleen Sidebottom died in a road crash when I was 17 years old. She was a fit and healthy 70-year-old who was out collecting charity donations as part of Christian Aid week.

She was killed just up the road from where she lived, by a young driver who lost control of his car driving too fast. He mounted the pavement and hit her, killing her instantly.

RoadPeace didn’t exist back then, and there was no support available for families like mine. There was no causing death by driving charges or Family Liaison Officers to keep us informed.

We only found out about what happened to the driver by reading about it in the local paper.

I remember being so shocked at the complacency and lack of care shown to my family. It was such a trauma for us all, but worse for my grandpa Ted, who died the following year from a broken heart.

So much has changed and improved since my grandma died, and RoadPeace and its members have been at the heart of this. But there is still more work to be done.

Shockingly, five people are still killed every day on our roads, with many more suffering life-changing injury. What’s frustrating about this is that we know road deaths and injuries are preventable and that all this suffering and heartbreak is unnecessary.

I am so grateful that I now work for RoadPeace, and can be a part of this incredible organisation determined to achieve Vision Zero.