Every year around 1,700 people are killed on UK roads, with tens of thousands more people seriously injured - and aside from 2020, a year that at times saw roads deserted during the pandemic, that figure has remained static for a decade. That's one person killed or seriously injured every 20 minutes. Worldwide, road collisions remain the biggest killer of young people aged 5-29.

 

Accurate reporting of these deaths and injuries matters. There is growing evidence that poor reporting can confuse or misdirect concern, obscure the solutions, and even engender aggression.

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Produced in collaboration with media, road safety, legal and policing experts, the Guidelines are an attempt to do just that, supplementing professional codes of conduct to support the highest standards of reporting in broadcast, print and online.

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Following a public consultation in Autumn 2020 the Guidelines launch in May 2021. For the latest news you can view our blog. 

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Brand-new research on police language and a handbook for professional press offices can be found via the link below. We analysed 227 police press releases and this is what we found - and how professionals can improve their language