Specialist help to be given to families of road accident victims in Sussex
Independent Road Victim Advocate will offer emotional and practical support
Specialist help is going to be given to the families of victims of fatal road incidents in Sussex.
The dedicated Independent Road Victim Advocate will offer additional emotional and practical support.
The post has been funded by the county's Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne:
"We know, having spoken to victims of crime, they really value someone who they can physically talk to, and goes through some of their questions - or just talks stuff through with them.
"I'm not sure you ever recover from the shock of it. You've lost someone and you weren't expecting it," she says.
There were 45 fatalities on the county's roads in 2023 and 23 people have already lost their lives so far this year.
Ms Bourne tells us having a knowledgeable person to guide families through the process is vital:
"For example, you have to go and identify your loved one's body. You might get their belongings returned which is another pain point."
"And each of these retraumatises you, so having that advocate there is massively important," she says.