The Project EDWARD podcast will continue throughout 2025, featuring key people and their role in the Safe System. The episodes will also support the exciting series of webinars taking place throughout 2025.
We continue to work hard on presenting content that’s sparkling and compelling – as well as on growing the audience, which we believe should primarily be those with a professional interest in road safety, transport planning, sustainability, active travel, future mobility, etc.
We are also keen to catch up with some of the kind folk who laid on brilliant events last year and who may be willing to provide an update.
You can assist on both counts, so please feel free to put yourself/colleagues/contacts forward as participants, and to share any ideas and do please subscribe and share when we get started.
Series 4 Episodes
In this episode, we’re joined by Police and Crime Commissioners Joy Allen (Durham) and Philip Seccombe (Warwickshire), two passionate leaders at the forefront of road safety reform. Together, they unpack the evolving role of PCCs in shaping both local and national road policing strategies.
From relaunching partnerships and rolling out tech like ANPR and Operation Snap, to pushing for bold policy changes like lower drink-driving limits and graduated driver licensing, they aren’t holding back. Both share hard-won insights, what they wish they’d known when they started, what needs to change, and how collaboration (across agencies and communities) is the real engine behind safer roads.
We also hear about the powerful impact of victim advocacy, the importance of holding forces accountable, and how every traffic stop could disrupt wider criminal activity. This is a must-listen for anyone invested in road safety, policy innovation, and community protection.
In this episode of My Role in the Safe System, host James Luckhurst speaks with Stewart Lochrie, Managing Director of Caledonian Driver Training and Chair of the ADI National Joint Council.
Stewart shares candid insights into the challenges and opportunities within the driver training industry, particularly around instructor development, public expectations, and the crucial need for cultural change. He emphasises the importance of coaching over instruction, the shortcomings of current training models, and the urgent need to embed modern behavioural science into driving education.
With a focus on improving road safety outcomes and raising standards, Stuart advocates for systemic reform and greater collaboration across industry stakeholders. A must-listen for those passionate about safer roads and meaningful change in driver education.
In this episode of the Project EDWARD podcast, James Luckhurst speaks with Dr. Rob Torok, an emergency medicine consultant and air ambulance doctor with over 20 years of frontline experience. While much of his career has focused on post-crash response, Torok now pushes for a stronger focus on prevention.
The constant stream of trauma victims has led him to question why road death and injury figures in the UK—around 1,700 deaths and 23,000 serious injuries annually — have barely changed in over a decade.
Dr Torok argues we need bold leadership, better use of technology, and a cultural shift in how we approach road safety. He calls for the full implementation of the promised Road Safety Investigation Branch. Above all, he believes it’s time to stop treating driving as routine and start recognising it as the high-risk activity it truly is.
James Luckhurst is joined by James Evans as they dive into the history or First Car. Other topics include:
- Co-Pilot – The Vision Zero Community
- Annoying the DVSA
- The role of technology
Kate Walker joins James Luckhurst to discuss the hidden epidemic that is diabetes and it’s impact on road safety in a fascinating discussion that ventures into:
- Legal obligations
- The importance of braking down misconceptions
- What is diabetes
Behaviour change psychologist Professor Fiona Fylan discusses strategies for promoting safer behaviours with James Luckhurst. The conversation centres on the Safe System approach to road safety, which focuses on the psychological aspects of behaviour change. The two emphasize the importance of understanding human factors to effectively reduce road traffic incidents.
‘Mr Safe System’ Dan Campsall joins James Luckhurst to discuss Agilysis’ role in the safe system and report back from the Global Road Safety Conference in Marrakesh. Topics include:
- How the Safe System has been adopted in the UK
- How Amazon, Uber, and Honda are now becoming involved
- Future funding
Said Dahdah discusses the World Bank’s role in the Safe System, including:
- Key points from the Marrakesh declaration
- How the World Bank is supporting low and middle income countries
- The World Bank creating the Knowledge Bank and why road safety was included
Said also provides an interesting take on the Safe System and how it is sometimes misunderstood.
Saul Jeavons joins us this week to take a look at fatal collision review boards, and discuss with the UK needs a road safety investigation branch.
This episode is a recording of a recent Project EDWARD webinar.
The topic is Road Death what is Justice? Which we hope offers an appropriate opportunity to navigate the complex intersection of law, safety and grief.
In an era where mobility is so important, the tragic reality of road fatalities continues to challenge our society on multiple fronts. This webinar brings together a diverse audience of legal professionals, law enforcement officers and bereaved families, road safety experts, coroners and academics to explore the issues surrounding road deaths and the pursuit of justice.
Over the next 60 minutes, we’ll explore the web of legal, emotional and societal factors that come into play in the aftermath of a road fatality. Our distinguished panel of experts will discuss the latest developments in traffic law enforcement, the psychological impact on victims, families, advancements in road safety technology, and the role of forensic investigation in determining blame.
James Luckhurst interviews Sarah Vaughan from Angelica Solutions. They discuss the role of insurers in road safety, particularly focusing on how driving style and collision frequency are related.
Sarah explains that insurers have a unique position to influence road safety due to their extensive data on crashes. However, she notes that insurers often prioritise profit over reducing collisions. They also talk about the potential benefits of telematics car insurance, which tracks driving behaviour and can encourage safer driving through incentives.
Sarah highlights the challenges of data sharing among insurers and the importance of pooling data for the greater good. They also discuss the increased risk of collisions at night and around airports, emphasising the need for better road safety policies and awareness.
Rebecca Morris of Vision Zero Communications joins James to explore how we get the road safety message to more people, including:
- Aligning Vision Zero Strategies
- The Forget-me-not-families
- Graduated Driving Licences
