A new role has been created to provide emotional support to families of victims seriously injured or killed in road accidents.

As part of a collaboration with road safety charity Brake, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has funded the new Independent Road Victim Advocate (IRVA) position.

The IRVA, who will be employed by Brake, will be specifically trained to assist families during their most challenging times.

READ MORE: Motorcyclist suffers serious injuries after crashing into parked car

They will be able to help with day-to-day tasks that can become overwhelming for people who have lost a loved one such as managing their finances and helping them to understand procedures such as court cases.

The IRVA role will also support the ongoing work that Sussex Police do to help victims and prevent collisions on the county’s roads.

This includes the annual winter campaign to tackle drink-and-drug driving during the festive period and work to tackle antisocial driving and motorcycle riding through Operation Downsway during the summer months.

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “Through ongoing conversations with the road safety charity Brake and hearing about the work of its National Road Victim Service, I noticed a gap in our support provision regarding family members of those killed or seriously injured on the roads.

"I wanted to provide families who are going through unimaginable distress, with a specialist and tailored support network that will complement the investigative and operational work of our family liaison officers. 

“The IRVA caseworker is the first of its kind in Sussex and I am delighted to be working with leading charity Brake as we support those who need it most.

“Most collisions on our roads are preventable and every fatality is one too many. Alongside the additional support that will be provided to families through the role of the IRVA, I also intend to set up a dedicated ‘Fatal Five Unit’ to move forward the Vision Zero approach to road safety and cut fatal and serious collisions by half by 2035."

In Sussex, there were 45 fatal collisions last year.

Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: “We welcome the announcement of specialist support for road victims from the road safety charity Brake to help support families affected by death and serious injuries on our roads in Sussex.

“Tragically, we know that 45 people died in collisions on our roads last year, and we know the devastating and ongoing impact this has on families, communities, and our officers who respond to these incidents.

“Having a dedicated Brake IRVA in Sussex will help provide further support to families, while we continue our work to improve road safety with our partners.”

Ross Moorlock, CEO at Brake, said: “At Brake, we know that the right support at the right time can change the course of someone’s life.

"Being able to access specialist, trauma-informed support delivered by Brake’s National Road Victim Service makes such a difference. We look forward to working in partnership with Sussex Police to support families in need.”

Funding for the role was obtained from the Ministry of Justice, with nearly £60,000 put in place to secure an IRVA position for the county.