World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Third Sunday of November - Officially adopted by the United Nations

Sunday 18 November 2007

Initiated by RoadPeace in 1993 - see World Day section - this day is now be a globally recognised day, following the adoption by the UN General Assembly on 26th October 2005 of a resolution to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, as an "appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families".

Brigitte Chaudhry said: "We at RoadPeace are extremely pleased at this official adoption by the UN of our Remembrance Day, which we have worked so hard to promote over so many years together with our colleagues from victim organizations in Europe and beyond. This important recognition will help ensure that victims worldwide will feel less marginalized and that the profound impact of road deaths and injuries will become better appreciated and the causes more urgently addressed." - see UN News and Press Release and Roadpeace Press Release.

Worldwide, over 3,000 people are killed and 100,000 injured every day on the road. The price in terms of human loss, grief and care is immeasurable.

Road crashes are the leading cause of violent deaths and injuries worldwide and World Day of Remembrance is drawing attention to the scale of this global disaster. These figures are predicted to grow. See War on the Road stats.

REMEMBERING ROAD VICTIMS

Road deaths and injuries shatter lives

The impact of such a traumatic event is long-term, often permanent and the scale of the problem means that each year many thousands of people who have suffered bereavement or injury through a road crash that year, are added to the existing huge group of people already affected.

Yet this needless loss of life and suffering does not receive proper attention or acknowledgement. Many of those killed and injured on the road are young, which is why the sense of loss and waste is all the greater.

The Day of Remembrance responds to the great need of road crash victims for public recognition, which is so readily given to victims of other types of disaster. It also acknowledges the work of all those involved in the aftermath of a crash - fire, police and ambulance personnel, doctors, nurses and counsellors.

WAYS OF REMEMBERING

In religious gatherings of all kinds, the reading out of names of those killed and injured, the lighting of candles and offering of flowers or acorns as signs of hope, help the bereaved and injured to find expression for their sorrow and give them the courage to go forward. These meetings and ritual acts bring people together and make them appreciate that they are not alone. (See below - how RoadPeace can help)

As well as observing this special day with acts of remembrance and reflection in churches and other places of worship, many varied events may take place, such as the march through the City of Bath to an open-air gathering, the Critical Mass of cyclists through London to the sites where someone was killed, or a Remembrance Concert with many bands in Johannesburg, in years past. Schools may hold special assemblies, minutes of silence, or allow pupils to express their thoughts or feelings in essays and various art forms. People are encouraged to create acts of remembrance in their own way.

HOW RoadPeace CAN HELP

RoadPeace will remind victims on Remembrance Day of the other opportunities for public recognition and tributes to loved ones, offered to them by RoadPeace - internet memorials, 'Remember Me' roadside Memorials and Tree planting in the RoadPeace Memorial Wood. Along the years, RoadPeace has produced a range of materials which include:

- A booklet of 'Prayers and Thoughts', see (pdf). Some of the prayers included in it have been specially written for RoadPeace.

- Examples of complete services booklets - we can also provide paper Oak leaves on which to inscribe the names as well as posters to advertise the service. Please contact RoadPeace.

- 'World Day' Posters see (pdf) this poster includes 500 names and ages of people killed on the road and was kindly sponsored by Bridget Wall in memory of her only son Adam

- 'World Day Leaflets' see (pdf ) - A brief description and history of the World Day

- 'Remember Me' CD see (pdf order form) produced by the WarmTouch Group in aid of RoadPeace.

- 'Remembrance' A RoadPeace Anthology - Poems, items of prose, sayings selected by Cynthia Barlow in memory of her daughter Alexandra and produced with Isabel Hariades, Julie Ackroyd and Shehzana Mamujee. For a copy, please contact RoadPeace.

RAISING AWARENESS

Initiated by RoadPeace in 1993, this day, known for several years as European Day of Remembrance, is now being observed annually by an increasing number of people in an increasing number of countries and continents.

In the UK and in collaboration with the European Federation of Road Victims and the World Health Organisation, RoadPeace continues to promote this day across the world encouraging churches and places of worship of all denominations and faiths, and schools and community groups, to remember the victims of this global disaster. Many cathedrals and churches have already made a special road victim service an annual event in the UK as part of their pastoral care, and there has been growing support from local and national politicians and agencies.

In other countries, on this international Remembrance Day, both religious and secular events take place in memory of road crash victims and church leaders, notably the Pope, remember them in their prayers.

The Day has had increasing media coverage on radio, television and in the press, which has helped to raise public awareness of the enormous scale of the disaster and the despair of road crash victims.

From April 2004, when the World Health Organisation published the World Report on Road Injury Prevention and the United Nations discussed 'the global road safety crisis' in a General Assembly in New York, this day gained even greater significance and international importance.

Following the adoption by the UN General Assembly on 26th October 2005 of a resolution to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, as an appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families, this Day is now recognized globally.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Please join and contribute to highlight this World Day of Remembrance and do let us know of any events or services. We would be grateful for any feedback and suggestions you may have.

RoadPeace plans to publish other 'Remembrance' anthologies as the one launched this year. If any bereaved families have either come across an item of prose or poetry which has meaning for them, or if they have themselves written something which they think will help others please send it RoadPeace.

Please help us to bring recognition and solace to many people and a change of attitude towards danger on the roads.

With our warmest thanks to all those who have contributed to this Day. We look forward to increasing our base of supporters all over the world!

Additional Information

* Please note that a guide produced by RoadPeace and the World Health Organisation for people wanting to organize activities on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is to be launched next April as part of the UN Global Road Safety Week. A special website to mark the World Day globally is also being developed by RoadPeace and our appeal for a National Memorial in the UK is still ongoing.

* Apart from the CD, other materials are sent free of charge or can be downloaded here. We would always be grateful for a donation towards our work or helpline support if you can. If you wish to assist or sponsor some of our projects please contact RoadPeace.