Devitt Insurance Services and Ford have announced a partnership with Brake to sponsor UK Road Safety Week 2018.

The national campaign will take place from November 19-25, 2018 and will involve thousands of campaigners, community groups, road safety professionals, companies and schools. This year’s theme of Bike Smart will focus on the safety of those on two wheels.

Motorbike insurance specialist Devitt Insurance has been promoting rider safety for nearly a century and will help Brake raise awareness about the importance of protecting motorcyclists, who make up the largest proportion (25%) of road crash admissions to trauma centres.

Devitt Insurance Services’ head of marketing Tom Warsop said: “We’re proud to headline sponsor Road Safety Week 2018 and help to promote road safety for the UK’s motorcyclists. Motorcycles make up just 1% of the miles travelled on our roads but riders sadly represent the largest proportion of road crash victims.

"We’re working with Brake to give riders a more powerful voice and ensure we do everything we can to keep our rider community safe.”

This year Ford launched its Share The Road campaign, designed to improve road safety for everyone, but with a particular emphasis on cyclists.

The car manufacturer will help Brake focus attention on what all road users can do to prevent cyclist deaths and injuries.

Ford of Britain’s chairman and managing director Andy Barratt said: “We must recognise that more work can be done to make the country’s roads a safer place, especially for statistically vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

"We are proud to sponsor Brake’s Road Safety Week, which shares common synergies with our Share The Road campaign. Together we can make roads safer for all users.” 

Brake’s week-long campaign, coordinated with the support of the Department for Transport, will raise awareness about the importance of protecting those on two wheels, by calling for:

• cyclists and motorcyclists to be Bike Smart with safe riding behaviours, appropriate training, clothing and equipment;
• drivers to be Bike Smart by looking out for those on two wheels, driving safely and utilising the latest life-saving technologies in their vehicles; and
• policy-makers to be Bike Smart by taking a safe systems approach and designing segregated spaces for cyclists.

Brake’s director for campaigns Joshua Harris said: “We’re pleased to welcome Devitt Insurance Services and Ford as headline sponsors for this large national campaign – the biggest of its kind.

“With their help we can raise awareness about the need to protect those on two wheels by ensuring we’re all Bike Smart.

"I would encourage anyone who wants to help make our roads safer to register now for free resources, so together we can make a big noise in the name of road safety.”