World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is Nov. 19
On Nov. 19, join with crash victims, street safety organizations, community members, faith leaders, elected officials, and dignitaries from across the country and globe to REMEMBER, SUPPORT, and ACT.
We add our voice to the urgent call for change to address the heartbreaking cost of traffic crashes.
This year’s World Day of Remembrance takes on extra urgency as the number of people dying and severely injured in preventable traffic crashes in the U.S. is rising at an alarming rate. According to National Safety Council (NSC) estimates more 46,000 people died in traffic crashes in the U.S. Compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, the mileage death rate in 2022 increased by nearly 22%, highlighting the significant dangers of using American roads.
Experts have demonstrated that this is a preventable crisis — Zero is Possible — the U.S. can and must do more to prevent deaths and severe injuries on our roadways. We can prioritize safety over speed. We can design roadways, sidewalks and bikeways and set policies that ensure safe mobility for all.
As communities across the country hold vigils, memorial walks, bike rides, faith leader sermons and somber displays of candles, shoes, and even body bags intended to represent the lives lost in preventable traffic crashes, we join in the demand for action.
We have the tools and know-how to prevent most traffic deaths and severe injuries. Our leaders could invest in Complete Streets; safer vehicles and other mobility options; and a wide array of people-first policies and actions proven to put safe mobility above speedy, dangerous travel. How do we know this would work? Because other nations are doing it and succeeding in preventing roadway deaths. The U.S. is one of the most dangerous industrialized nations in terms of traffic violence, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Read more about how “so many deaths are often tolerated in America as an unavoidable cost of mass mobility,” while other nations successfully ensure Safe Streets for People.
The nation’s transportation leaders have signaled a shift in business-as-usual in their commitment to Vision Zero. With the recent passage of the federal Infrastructure bill, we have an historic opportunity to direct billions of dollars towards fixing deadly roads and improving walking and biking conditions – particularly for communities that have been traditionally underserved. It is long past time to prioritize Safe Streets for People.
Now is the time to act because the U.S. is an outlier. According to a report on traffic crashes from the Center for Disease Control, the United States is one of the most dangerous industrialized nations in terms of traffic violence and it is only getting more dangerous.
To learn more and get involved, please follow this link.