Media Reporting Scorecard

Focus on human agency rather than vehicles. Write "driver collided" instead of "car collided" or "vehicle struck pedestrian" to maintain accountability for operation.

Do not prematurely assign blame to vulnerable road users (e.g. "pedestrian was not wearing high-vis" or "crossed outside zebra crossing") before formal crash investigation findings are published.

Avoid sweeping labels that generalize road user groups. Use terms like "person walking" or "person riding a cycle" instead of labels like "cyclists" or "pedestrians" to maintain empathy.

Acknowledge that crashes are not isolated, freak incidents. Mention broader traffic safety statistics, local infrastructure factors, or repeating safety patterns.

Avoid graphic details, dramatic descriptions, or fate-based framing (e.g., "tragedy", "horror crash", "bloody collision") to ensure professional, informative reporting.