Dev's Law: Mother's Campaign Transforms UK Road Safety

A mother's relentless campaign, born from unimaginable loss, has culminated in a landmark shift for UK road safety. New government plans, including "Dev's Law," promise to make our roads safer for everyone, a powerful tribute to eight-year-old Dev Naran. For Meera Naran, this moment is a bittersweet milestone. Her son, Dev, was just eight years old when he tragically died in a collision on the M6 in 2018. The family car, carrying Dev and his grandfather, had stopped on what would have been a hard shoulder, but was then part of a smart motorway. A lorry then struck their vehicle, claiming Dev's life. The ripple effect of that day was devastating. Dev's grandfather, who was driving, passed away years later due to injuries sustained in the crash. Even more heartbreakingly, Dev's older brother, Neel, who had complex health needs and saw Dev as his "best friend and cheerleader," also died in 2024, his health deteriorating after the profound shock of losing his sibling. From the depths of her grief, Meera found a powerful purpose. Initially campaigning for changes to smart motorways, her focus broadened to advocate for mandatory safety technology in all new vehicles. She passionately championed systems like Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which automatically applies brakes if a driver fails to react in time to prevent a collision. Meera believes that had the lorry involved in Dev's crash been equipped with AEB, the outcome could have been entirely different. "Dev could have walked out and come home to me that night," she reflects, highlighting how this technology could be a true life-saver. While some new cars feature such driver-assistance systems, they haven't been compulsory in Britain – until now. Ministers have now unveiled a comprehensive road safety strategy, aiming to drastically reduce road deaths by 2035. Central to these plans is a commitment to mandate safety technology in new vehicles, a pledge fittingly dubbed "Dev's Law." Local transport minister Lilian Greenwood praised campaigners like Meera, acknowledging that the strategy, while evidence-based, is "driven by the voices of those who have experienced the devastating consequences of road collisions first-hand." Meera, a senior lecturer in clinical pharmacy, brought her professional rigour to the campaign, stressing the need to "separate the emotion from the evidence" while never losing sight of the human cost. For Meera, this achievement is a significant step, but her mission continues. "It was bigger than my grief, it was bigger than me, it was bigger than their story," she states, reflecting on her tireless efforts through unimaginable personal loss. Her ultimate goal remains clear: to ensure no other family endures the heartbreak her own has faced, making this a lifelong campaign to reduce road deaths across the UK. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article