When Lives Collide 2023

The 'When Lives Collide 2023' exhibition depicts the real-life horror of road collisions as described by those involved and aims to raise awareness of the risks we all face on a daily basis as road users.

Taken by renowned photographer Paul Wenham-Clarke, a Professor of Photography at Arts University Bournemouth, the images are being exhibited to mark the 30th anniversary of RoadPeace, the road victims' charity. The RoadPeace provides information and support services to people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes and engages in evidence-based policy and campaigning work to fight for justice for victims and reduce road danger.

Every single day on the UK's roads, on average five people are killed, 84 are seriously injured yet despite this, the public is largely unaware that so many people are affected by crashes. Many people don’t believe that they or their loved ones will be affected by a collision. But the exhibition shows that crashes affect everybody whatever their age or gender and wherever they live.

The images serve as a window into the soul of people who have experienced everyone’s worst nightmare and address the senseless loss of life that our society so easily seems to accept. "Some of the portraits capture raw emotions as they surge and flow through the participants, from grief-stricken crying, to fighting back the tears to smile, as they remember their lost one. In British culture, we shy away from crying in front of others, or even watching others cry, but these images allow a prolonged examination of a range of visceral emotions and will evoke a strong response in anyone who sees them.

Nick Simmons, CEO of RoadPeace, said: “When Lives Collide 2023 takes an artistic approach to explore the impact of road harm from the point of view of those directly impacted by it. Paul’s work so cleverly and creatively documents the lives of crash victims and acts as a call to work together to end road death and injury. If this exhibition makes just a few people think about their actions next time they get behind the wheel and turn off their phone before they drive, or decline that alcoholic drink then it will be a great achievement.”