Brake (road safety charity)

Brake (road safety charity)
Name	Brake
Type	Charity
Founded	1995
Founder	Julie Bond
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, International
Focus	Road safety, victim support, education

Brake (road safety charity) is a United Kingdom-based charity dedicated to road safety, victim support, education, and policy advocacy. Founded in 1995, it operates across the UK and internationally to reduce road casualties, support bereaved families, and promote safer streets through campaigning, training, and research. Brake engages with policymakers, transport bodies, emergency services, schools, and community organizations to influence legislation, practice, and public awareness.

History

Brake was established in 1995 by Julie Bond following high-profile road collision incidents and public concern over road casualties, interacting with institutions such as Parliament of the United Kingdom, Department for Transport, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, Transport for London, and European Commission. Early years saw collaboration with emergency services including London Ambulance Service, Greater Manchester Police, and St John Ambulance while forming links with advocacy groups like RoadPeace and research bodies such as Transport Research Laboratory and Institute of Road Traffic Education. Over time Brake broadened partnerships to include international organizations like World Health Organization, UNICEF, European Transport Safety Council, Global Road Safety Partnership, and World Bank. Major historical milestones include involvement in national remembrance events alongside institutions like House of Commons, engagement with campaigns similar to Think! (UK road safety campaign), and contributions to policy consultations influenced by reports from Office for National Statistics, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and academic centers such as University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.

Mission and Activities

Brake’s mission links with public bodies and civil society actors including National Health Service (England), Health and Safety Executive, Local Government Association, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Road Safety Analysis, and PHE (Public Health England). Programmatic activities intersect with schools, councils, and transport providers like Manchester City Council, Glasgow City Council, and Transport for Greater Manchester to deliver education and training influenced by curricula from Department for Education and evidence from King's College London. Workstreams draw on collaborations with NGOs and campaigners such as Sustrans, Living Streets, Cycling UK, British Cycling, and Royal Society for Public Health to promote active travel, safe cycling, and safer infrastructure informed by standards from British Standards Institution and technical guidance from Institution of Highways and Transportation.

Campaigns and Advocacy

Brake’s campaigns and advocacy align with legislative and regulatory frameworks connected to institutions like European Union regulations, House of Lords, UK Parliament, Transport Select Committee, and statutory bodies such as Highways England and Office of Rail and Road. Notable campaign themes mirror initiatives championed by groups such as Campaign for Better Transport, Stonewall (in cross-sector inclusion work), and road safety movements associated with events like Road Safety Week and memorial observances coordinated with Commonwealth stakeholders. Brake has lobbied for measures referenced in reports by World Health Organization Global Status Report on Road Safety, promoted enforcement practices used by Metropolitan Police Service, and called for funding allocations similar to those debated at Treasury (United Kingdom) hearings.

Services and Support

Brake provides support services connecting victims to networks including Citizens Advice, Samaritans, Victim Support, and legal advice providers such as Law Society of England and Wales and Bar Council. Its training and educational offers involve partnerships with academic and vocational institutions like Open University, City, University of London, Department for Education training frameworks, and sector trainers affiliated with Institute of Advanced Motorists and RoSPA. Brake’s resources for families, schools, and professionals reference best practice from National Childbirth Trust, British Red Cross, and clinical guidance developed by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Funding and Governance

Brake’s governance structure involves trustees, executive leadership, and oversight mechanisms akin to those in charities regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, interacting with funders such as philanthropic trusts including Wellcome Trust, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, and corporate partners drawn from companies like National Grid, Tesco, and Aviva in corporate social responsibility collaborations. Financial reporting follows standards endorsed by bodies like Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and auditing practice used by firms such as PwC and KPMG. Strategic governance engages with networks including Institute of Fundraising and compliance frameworks referenced by Information Commissioner's Office.

Impact and Research

Brake contributes to and commissions research with partners including University College London, University of Manchester, University of Glasgow, Imperial College London, University of Leeds, TRL (Transport Research Laboratory), and international academics cited in journals such as The Lancet, BMJ, and Accident Analysis & Prevention. Impact assessments draw on statistics from Department for Transport statistics, Office for National Statistics road casualties data, and global indicators from World Health Organization. Reports have informed local interventions implemented by councils like Bristol City Council and Leeds City Council and influenced policy reviews by committees in House of Commons Transport Committee.

Recognition and Partnerships

Brake has received recognition and worked in partnership with organizations including Road Safety Week organizers, awards bodies such as Charity Awards, Queen's Award for Voluntary Service consultees, and corporate partners like Royal Mail and Stagecoach Group. Collaborative projects have included initiatives with National Police Chiefs' Council, Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme, Health Education England, and international partners such as Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety. Brake’s role in multi-agency collaborations continues to connect it with civic institutions, research centers, and advocacy networks across the UK and worldwide.

Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom Category:Road safety organizations