Northern Ireland's ‘Share the Road to Zero' campaign, organised by the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), has gained the support of road safety charity, Road Safe NI.

The community engagement initiative is attempting to reduce road deaths by encouraging road users to take more care and responsibility on the roads and has had multiple organisations and individuals pledging their support, with Road Safe NI the latest signatory.

Key figures that support the campaign include Liverpool and Northern Ireland footballer Conor Bradley, senior women's footballer Emily Wilson, Ulster Rugby trio Jacob Stockdale, Nick Timoney, and Michael Lowry, Olympian Ciara Mageean and Ulster GAA star Rory Grugan, as well as ice hockey team, the Belfast Giants.

Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins said: ‘I am very grateful to Davy Jackson [chair of Road Safe NI] for signing up to this important community engagement initiative on behalf of Road Safe NI.

‘Nobody sets out on a journey expecting to be involved in a road traffic collision, let alone lose their own life or end someone else's life. Yet, on average, one person dies on our roads every single week. Last year, 69 people set off on what turned out to be their last journey.

‘Despite statistics telling us that more than 95% of collisions are caused by human error, as individuals we rarely see ourselves as part of the problem. We tell ourselves that it's the other road users, but it is worth remembering that to everyone else, you are the ‘someone else'. Davy is helping to remind us of our road safety messages today as he becomes the latest Share the Road to Zero signatory.'

Mr Jackson added: ‘We are signing up to Share the Road to Zero as a reminder for us all that we must never lose sight of the importance of road safety and of being vigilant and careful as road users.

‘We recently hosted our eleventh annual Road Safe NI awards, which highlight the important work around road safety carried out by schools, emergency services, voluntary groups, and public and private sectors.

‘Everything we can do to raise awareness about road safety must be welcomed as a way to encourage societal conversations about how to stay safe as road users.'