The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is a British

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * Ch ...

that aims to save lives and prevent life-changing injuries which occur as a result of

accident An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term ''accident'' implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks. Most researche ...

s. In the past, it has successfully campaigned on issues of

road safety Road traffic safety refers to the methods and measures used to prevent road users from being killed or seriously injured. Typical road users include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, vehicle passengers, horse riders, and passengers of on-roa ...

, including playing an integral role in the introduction of drink-drive legislation, the compulsory wearing of seatbelts and the ban on handheld mobile phones while driving, as well as on issues of

occupational health and safety Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...

History and development

The origins of RoSPA date to the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

when, in response to the 'alarming increase in road accidents' during the blackouts, the London 'Safety First' Council was established on 1 Dec 1916. In 1917, accident data were collected, there was a call to license all drivers, three children's safety competitions were run (involving 57,000 pupils) and a railway safety committee was established. A campaign to change the pedestrian rule so that walkers face oncoming traffic was so successful that fatal accidents caused by pedestrians stepping into the path of vehicles fell by 70 per cent in 12 months. Also in 1917 a separate body, the Industrial "Safety First" Committee was established, and as a result in 1918 the British Industrial "Safety First" Association (BISFA) was formed to tackle workplace safety on a national scale. In 1920, the Duke of York became President of the London "Safety First" Council, when his presidency ended in 1923 he became Patron. Also in 1923 The National "Safety First" Association was formed with the London "Safety First" Council and BISFA affiliated to it. The Duke of York became Patron of The National "Safety First" Association in 1926. In 1930, a Scottish "Safety First" Council was set up. In 1932 the National "Safety First" Association extended its activities to Home Safety, and

Caroline Haslett Dame Caroline Harriet Haslett DBE, JP (17 August 1895 – 4 January 1957) was an English electrical engineer, electricity industry administrator and champion of women's rights. She was the first secretary of the Women's Engineering Society a ...

, director of the

Electrical Association for Women The Electrical Association for Women (EAW) was a feminist and educational organisation founded in Great Britain in 1924 to promote the benefits of electricity in the home. History The Electrical Association for Women developed in 1924 from a p ...

, was appointed as chair of Home Safety Committee, a post she held until 1936, becoming the first woman vice president in 1937. In 1936 the Duke of York became King George VI and continued as Patron of the Association. In 1941, with the agreement of the King, the Association changed its name to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – as it is known today. RoSPA's work concerns safety on the road (the organisation estimates that 550,000 people have died on Britain's roads since

Bridget Driscoll The death of Bridget Driscoll (c. 185117 August 1896) was the first recorded case of a pedestrian killed in a collision with a motor car in Great Britain. Driscoll, in the company of her teenage daughter May and her friend Elizabeth Murphy, was ...

's death in 1896.), at work, in the home, at leisure, on and in the water as well as safety education for the young. RoSPA is governed by an executive committee and board of Trustees. The organisation employs approximately 120 staff, located in the head office in Birmingham and at regional offices in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Cycling Proficiency

The

Cycling Proficiency Test The Cycling Proficiency Test was a test given by Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents which served as a minimum recommended standard for cycling on British roads. It was superseded by the National Standards for Cycle Training, branded B ...

was created by RoSPA in 1947 as a minimum recommended standard for

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from t ...

on British roads. The National Cycling Proficiency Scheme was introduced by the government in 1958, with statutory responsibility for road safety being given to local authorities in 1974, including the provision of child cyclist training but the scheme continued to be associated with RoSPA. The scheme was superseded by the

National Standards for Cycle Training National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

, branded

Bikeability Bikeability is the Department for Transport’s national award provider for cycle training in England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. T ...

in England.

RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders

RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders (RoADAR) constitutes a significant part of the charity's impact.https://www.roadar.org.uk/ It aims to reduce road accidents by improving driving standards, knowledge and skill. To do this, RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders have over 65 local groups that provide – often free – training to improve driving and motorcycling skills. After suitable training, the charity offers an optional

advanced driving test The advanced driving test is a special exam for motorists who can drive to a skill level substantially above average, and candidates who pass are called ''advanced drivers''. It is available from several societies, including IAM RoadSmart, the Ro ...

References

External links

RoSPA Official Site

RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders
* {{Authority control Automotive safety Motorcycle safety organizations Road safety organizations Royal charities of the United Kingdom Transport charities based in the United Kingdom Road transport in the United Kingdom Road safety in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the West Midlands (county) 1917 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1917