Dr Ian Greenwood, ADINJC Patron
I work to prevent road death and reduce road danger. I spend my time focused on commenting, writing, presenting, researching, and campaigning to raise awareness of the heartbreak family’s experience due to the sudden and largely preventable death and traumatic injuries from road traffic collisions (RTC). This devastation extends far beyond individuals, affecting families, communities, the health and care system, emergency services, society, and the economy as a whole.
I began my career training as both an adult and children’s nurse in Liverpool. Following qualification, I specialised in children’s nursing within intensive care, trauma, and neuroscience settings in Liverpool, Manchester and London. Subsequently, I dedicated nearly four decades to NHS leadership positions—overseeing community services, managing hospitals, including trauma services, formulating policy and strategy, directing national health programmes across England, and consultancy. I also gained a Master of Science in health policy jointly from the LSHTM and LSE along the way.
In 2008, my family—my two daughters and their Mum —were involved in a serious RTC. The collision happened when an oncoming car, part of a group of five young drivers who were racing and speeding, crashed, hitting my families car. Three lives were lost that night: my daughter Alice, who remains forever 12 years old, as well as the 18-year-old driver and his 16-year-old passenger from one of the racing cars. Alice’s sister, Clara, and their Mum, Juliette, sustained very severe injuries and were treated in separate intensive care units: both survived.
This experience was a key factor in my decision to retire early and motivated me to explore why road deaths and serious injuries are often considered an acceptable consequence of transportation. After finishing my dissertation on road safety policy at the University of York in 2018, where I earned a Master in Public Administration, Professor Samantha Jamson encouraged me to expand on this work for a PhD proposal. In 2019, I joined the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds under the supervision of Professor Jamson and Professor Greg Marsden, to conduct further research and write my thesis, titled The politics of road death.
With my background in caring for trauma patients, managing health services, studying public policy, and conducting research on road safety, along with being the Dad of two daughters who have been counted among KSI (Killed or Seriously Injured) statistics, I am able to offer what may be a unique perspective on the issues and repercussions of failing to address road trauma effectively.
I am still curious about why road safety policies in Britain are made—or sometimes not made or even considered—especially given the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads. Engaging with the many groups focused on safe travel is essential, which is why I was pleased to accept the position of patron for the ADINJC. Driving instructors are crucial in guiding novice drivers and can make a lasting, positive difference by helping keep everyone on our roads safe. I am eager to learn from and collaborate with the ADI in the future.