Meera has campaigned tirelessly to make smart motorways safer after Dev, her eight-year-old son, tragically died in a traffic collision on the M6 in 2018. She has since dedicated her life to helping all roads be made safer and on-going education for drivers.
Among her many campaign successes was last month’s decision by the Department for Transport to pause the smart motorway rollout until five years of safety data is available.
In just over two years of campaigning Meera has also brought about vital changes to the Highway Code, helped secure a £900 million commitment of Government funding, 18 national policy changes including £5m for on-going education, which began with a campaign in 2021. She is also currently lobbying for a change in legislation to implement life-saving technology such as autonomous emergency braking proposed as Dev's Law.
Meera is also a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
Meera was awarded an MBE for Services to Road Safety in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June last year, which she collected at Windsor Castle earlier this week.
Brake, the road safety charity, was set up by Chief Executive Mary Williams OBE in 1995. It works with communities and organisations across the UK to stop the tragedy of road deaths and injuries, campaigning for improvements in road safety and supporting those bereaved and seriously injured on the roads through its National Road Victim Service.
Commenting on today’s announcement, Meera Naran MBE, said: “I'm honoured and humbled to be joining Brake as a trustee. The National Road Victim Service is well-established and provides fundamental help and support for victims, both bereaved and seriously injured. To be involved with the charity including their wider work in road safety is a great privilege.
“I never expected to outlive my child and lose him in the sudden and tragic way that we did. I can't express how much trauma is involved when you lose a loved one in this way.
“I'm looking forward to working with my fellow trustees to help Brake continue supporting so many victims through their journey and providing excellent care across the UK."
Deborah Sleightholme, Brake trustee Chair, said: “What Meera has achieved in just 18 months is quite remarkable. We are truly honoured that Meera has joined the board – her passion, energy and expertise will build our efforts to reduce needless deaths and serious injury on the roads, as well as supporting road crash victims through the charity’s National Road Victim Service."
