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Road Crime Victims Ignored, Report Claims
13 Aug
Summary
- Road crime victims are routinely let down by the justice system.
- Families face lengthy investigations and lack of trauma support.
- Report highlights disparity in treatment compared to other crimes.
Families who have lost loved ones in road crashes report feeling severely let down by the criminal justice system. A report by the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, highlights that victims and survivors of road crime are routinely denied adequate support and face prolonged injustices.
During the year to June 2025, 1,579 individuals died on UK roads, with over 25,000 sustaining serious injuries. Families described experiencing harrowing failures, including poor communication, lengthy police investigations, court delays, and difficulties accessing essential support services. This systemic neglect leads to re-traumatization at every stage of the process.
Victims shared experiences of feeling like "second-class victims," suggesting that if similar incidents occurred in other contexts, the response would be markedly different. The report calls for stronger oversight, consistent training for police in dealing with traumatized families, and dedicated funding for specialist support services to address these critical gaps.
