Road Traffic Victims

Victims of road traffic crime face unique challenges

Road traffic crimes can happen suddenly and without warning. You didn’t know it was coming, and you had no time to prepare.

Victims of these crimes may face challenges that are often misunderstood or overlooked, such as:

• The suddenness and shock of the event
• Complex emotions — knowing that someone’s unlawful actions caused your harm may deepen feelings of anger, frustration, and injustice
• Difficulties navigating the justice system. Investigations and court cases can take a long time, and outcomes may feel uncertain or disappointing
• Others dismissing what happened as “just an accident,” leaving you feeling invalidated or invisible
• The overwhelm of managing insurance, legal issues, medical care, and victim supports all at once

How you may feel after a road traffic crime

It’s normal to experience a range of emotions after such a traumatic event. You may feel:

• Shocked by what has happened
• Afraid it could happen again
• Angry that this has happened to you
• Grief for what you have lost
• Traumatised by the incident
• That your day-to-day life is not the same
• A loss of independence
• Isolated
• Under financial strain — from medical bills, lost income, vehicle damage, or, in the most tragic cases, funeral costs

If you were physically injured, your recovery may take time. Injuries can range from temporary pain to life-changing disabilities. Be patient with yourself, and take your physical and emotional healing one day at a time.

Accident or crime?

Some road collisions are accidental and unavoidable. However, others result from unlawful or reckless actions — such as speeding, driving while impaired, or failing to stop at the scene. In these cases, the incident is not an accident — it is a crime.

If you are a victim of a road traffic crime and have been told it was “just an accident,” you may feel dismissed. Your suffering is valid. Harm was caused to you, and you deserve justice and support. You deserve accountability for the crime committed against you or your loved one.

Describing a crime as an “accident” can feel dismissive and isolating. It can also affect how victims are treated by institutions such as insurance companies or the justice system — making it harder to access support, recognition, and, sometimes, legal remedies.

Recognising that a road traffic incident caused by unlawful behaviour is a crime, not merely an accident, is an important step in acknowledging victims’ experiences and ensuring they receive the support they need.

You are not alone

Being harmed in a road traffic crime is not your fault. You deserve recognition, support, and justice.

If you or someone you care about has been affected by a road traffic crime, you don’t have to face it alone.

Call the Crime Victims Helpline — our service is free, confidential, and available to anyone impacted by crime.

We are here to:

• Listen with compassion and without judgment
• Provide information about your rights and the supports available
• Help you find practical resources to cope
• Support you as you navigate the criminal justice system