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Events & Actions

The slogan 'Remember and Reflect, Remember and Respond' represents the essence of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.


Events and Ceremonies to ‘Remember and Reflect’


Public reflection is the act of recognition. It states to the victims and their families that their humanity is valued, that their loss is our loss and that their suffering is shared, if only through recognising the tragedy and error of its occurrence.
(Holocaust Memorial Day booklet 2007)

The World Day of Remembrance has been introduced:

…as the appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families

…to bring the devastating impact of road deaths and injuries and lack of support to the widest attention

Events to mark this recognition of the devastation and suffering can be held locally, regionally, nationally and worldwide:

• Religious Remembrance services (inter-denominational or single religion)
• Humanist ceremonies
• Flower- or wreath- laying ceremonies
• Ceremonies and events involving the lighting of candles or illumination of buildings
A worldwide initiative - ‘A Light of Hope’ – has been introduced
• Concerts and special music
• Conferences, seminars and workshops
• Marches or processions through cities with placards or photographs
• Ceremonies and gatherings at memorials
• Planting trees or flowers in memory
• Launch of internet memorials with tributes to victims
• Ceremonies involving reading the names of victims or special poems
• Release of balloons, pigeons, paper boats
• Ringing of bells or playing of sounds
• Observing moments of silence– at specific events or nationwide at a specific time

 

Actions and commitments to ‘Remember and Respond'

 

‘Observation of this day provides an opportunity to draw the public’s attention to road traffic crashes, their consequences and costs, and the measures which can be taken to prevent them. The day also provides an opportunity to remind governments and society of their responsibility to make roads safer.’


'Strong political commitment is key to addressing the global road safety crisis. Improvement in road safety does not just happen. It requires political commitment in the form of effective laws, strategies, policies and programmes, and adequate funding to implement them. Governments have a duty to address this major public health and development issue as a matter of urgency.’

Actions that will be an appropriate response by authorities:

• Official recognition of World Day
• Erection of a national memorial to road crash victims
• Funding by governments for some key remembrance events
• Attendance of events by high level representatives
• Taking action on active travel
• Specific Commitments for the coming year, which will be monitored, for example:
- introduce 20mph speed limits in relevant areas
- enforce speed limits strictly
- make road safety a police priority
- introduce improved laws and monitor their implementation
- install black boxes and speed limiters in all Government owned vehicles
- introduce the strict liability law to protect vulnerable road users
- bring in legislation for wide-angle mirrors on all HGVs (not just new ones)
- allocate funding to organisations supporting road crash victims
- etc.


Actions by individuals:

• Never speed or tailgate
• Never go through red lights
• Never drink- or drug- drive
• Give more consideration to vulnerable road users
• Obey the 15 commandments of ‘Courtesy at the wheel’
• Install speed limiters and black boxes in own car
• Sign the European Road Safety Charter
• Support the Campaign for global road safety
• etc.