The Safer Essex Roads Partnership (SERP) has released a powerful new film marking World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (Sunday 16 November 2025), reuniting collision survivor Barbara Waters with the off-duty Essex Police officer who came to her aid at the devastating scene, now a Roads Policing Inspector with the City of London Police, Myles Hilbery.
A Life Changing Collision
Barbara’s life was changed forever when a speeding pickup driver collided with her vehicle at a junction in Essex, leaving her with life-changing injuries. The crash also deeply affected her husband, Jimmy, and those who witnessed the aftermath- including Myles, who was cycling nearby when he heard a serious collision.
Acting on instinct, Myles raced to the scene and used his police training to provide immediate assistance to Barbara until the emergency services arrived on scene, with his quick thinking and calm professionalism helping Barbara in the crucial first moments after her crash.
The Ripple Effect Beyond the Roadside
Since 2021, more than 3,500 people in Essex have suffered serious, life-changing injuries on our roads. For every fatality, there are dozens more left with trauma, pain, and lifelong consequences. In the film, Barbara and Myles meet for the first time since that day to reflect on the long-term effects of serious road traffic injuries and the human cost behind road statistics.
Inspector Myles Hilbery said: “I’ll never forget that day, or Barbara’s courage. Road safety isn’t about numbers or enforcement targets, but about people and the lives behind those statistics. Every time someone speeds, takes a call, or takes a risk, they’re gambling with more than just their own safety. We all have a responsibility to prevent this.”
The film forms part of the SERP’s Road Safety Week campaign, which brings together partners including Essex Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, National Highways, and local authorities to raise awareness of the true human cost of road collisions.
Will Cubbin, Partnership Manager at the SERP, added: “Barbara’s story is a powerful reminder that the impact of a collision doesn’t end at the roadside. It ripples through families, friendships, and whole communities. Our goal through Vision Zero is to prevent others from suffering the same pain, by encouraging safer choices, shared responsibility, and compassion on every journey.”
Barbara’s story shows that road death and serious injury are not inevitable- they are preventable.
Driving Change Through Education, Engagement and Enforcement
Through a combination of education, engagement and enforcement, the SERP works year-round toward Vision Zero– the ambition of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on Essex roads by 2040.
Learn more about Vision Zero here: www.saferessexroads.org/visionzero
