Supporting Road Victim Month through real stories, and real impact

The story of Frankie Julia Hough has been well documented in the media. But what is decidedly less reported, is the impact her loss has had on her partner, Calvin Buckley. And importantly – the legacy he has built in her name.

Frankie was killed by a speeding driver when her car was pulled up on the hard-shoulder of the M66. Tragically, Frankie was also 17 weeks pregnant at the time. Their unborn daughter, who she and Calvin had only very recently given the name ‘Neeve’, was also killed.

The reckless driver had been exceeding speeds of 120mph at the time of the collision. In a further twist, he’d also been filming himself doing so.

Since the loss of his partner and their unborn child, Calvin has been campaigning for safer roads. And he has done so with the support of the team here at Fletchers Solicitors.

Founding ‘Frankie & Neeve’s Road Safety Academy’

In the very depth of his grief, Calvin struggled to find purpose. He naturally spiralled into depression, developed anxiety, and was diagnosed with PTSD. He lost weight, developed alopecia, and struggled to make it through each day.

But as his grief developed, and he moved through the emotions he was faced with, Calvin was determined to build a legacy for his late partner and their unborn child. And perhaps more importantly – he wanted change. He wanted to advocate for them, and to ensure their loss was not in vain.

And so, along with Frankie’s father – Frank Hough – Calvin started ‘Frankie & Neeve’s Road Safety Academy’.

Supporting key road safety initiatives

In the years preceding Frankie’s death, our serious injury team has been handling Calvin’s ongoing legal case. Our approach to serious injury cases such as these, is always a holistic one. We consider the whole person – who they are, how they have been affected, and what steps need to be put in place to help build a life which can be as fulfilling as possible, in respect of their suffering.

Calvin’s wish to start the charity, and to campaign for safer roads, is something we were always in full support of. Our team have been able to release funds that have enabled the charity to grow. And Calvin’s lawyer, Sarah Ouko, is also a Trustee of Frankie & Neeve’s Road Safety Academy.

Speaking about her involvement in the charity, and why it is so important to campaign for safer roads, Sarah explains that road collisions do not discriminate:

“This is something that continues to affect people. You can be poor, you can be rich; you can be old, you can be young. It does not discriminate. And I think people underestimate the amount of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads – I think its close to 30,000 people each year. The number is vast.”

Sarah goes on to describe the ripple effect of serious road collisions on our roads. She talks about the number of families and individuals – just like Calvin – who are left behind when individuals are killed or seriously injured in a road collision:

“Of course there are the victims themselves, then there are the families left behind, and then the impact on the emergency services who are called out to the scene; the medical professionals who support them, the clinical teams, the treatment teams, the solicitors – the people who listen to these stories and feel affected. The list goes on. That’s why being able to do even a little bit, and be able to educate people is so important.”

Campaigning with RoadPeace

Sarah also works closely with RoadPeace, a national charity for road crash victims in the UK. RoadPeace provides information and support services to people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes, and also engages in evidence-based policy and campaigning work to fight for justice and reduce road danger.

Lucy Harrison, Justice and Outreach Manager, felt called to join the RoadPeace team after the loss of her brother in a road collision, and because of the support she received from RoadPeace at the time of his loss.

“My brother was a pedestrian, crossing the road when it appeared safe. There were lots of witnesses around to verify this. Someone doing 93mph appeared out of nowhere, and although they tried to brake, they could only reduce their speed to 67mph. The police were also able to prove, that if that person had been doing the speed limit, not only would my brother not have been hit, but he would also have been much further along the road when the vehicle passed.

“It was just so preventable. RoadPeace’s support kept me sane during that time. It really was the darkest thing I’ve ever been through. I live forever now without my brother, who should still be here. And in the time I’ve been working with RoadPeace, I’ve spent ten years working with family after family, who’s devastation is so unnecessary.”

Lucy supports a number of initiatives across key awareness dates in the calendar, including the Service of Remembrance – where a number of bereaved families join together to remember those lost to road collisions.

RoadPeace have a number of regional groups up and down the country, where individuals can build peer support in their local areas. Lucy also talks passionately about the helpline service that RoadPeace offers – and the empathy that individuals will receive from the trained individuals on the other end of that line.

Lucy agrees with the points Cavin brings forward about raising awareness. She believes that we need to talk about the impact of road harm, and the risks that come into play when people get behind the wheel. But she also feels there is a need for increased enforcement, increased resources for road policing – and a swifter justice system. Lucy talks about the backlog of criminal road offences, and the time currently being taken to bring these cases to a conclusion. She believes this is unacceptable – and that more should be done to treat road crime as real crime. 

Lucy ultimately believes that the roads should be made safe for everyone – something that the Fletchers Solicitors team also stands by. She talks about the notion that ‘the car is king’ – but that actually, our roads should be safe and accessible for everyone. For pedestrians, for cyclists, for horse riders, and for motorcyclists.

Lucy believes that we all have the right to travel safely, without a threat to our lives.

Fletchers Solicitors supports Road Victim Month. We believe it is important to honour those we’ve lost, stand with those left behind, and campaign for safer roads for everyone. We support Calvin, Lucy – and all the bereaved families who have been affected by a death caused needlessly on our roads.