Acknowledge the impact of road crashes and work together to prevent them
The third Sunday in November is recognized every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (World Day of Remembrance). This year, it is observed across the globe on November 17, 2024, with That Day as its theme. We invite you to help honour and support World Day of Remembrance by hosting or registering an event, and by sharing the hashtag #WDoR2024 on social media. But you can also support these efforts by simply making safe choices on the road to help reduce preventable deaths and injuries.
The communication campaign for this year tells the stories of THAT DAY when traffic collisions stopped or changed the course of the victim’s lives forever. Each victim has her/his own story of that day, which their relatives, friends and acquaintances carry in their memory. The emotional charge of that day is so strong that it remains in our memory forever.
Why it’s important to acknowledge World Day of Remembrance every year
For families and communities, every day is a day that loved ones who have died or been injured are remembered – and sadly, every day, we suffer 3,700 additional deaths and tens of thousands more injuries around the world.
That is why the World Day of Remembrance, adopted by the United Nations in 2005, is about remembering, but it is also about supporting victims and families and taking action to prevent future deaths and injuries on the roads.
How to support World Day of Remembrance
Many national governments across the globe are recognizing the World Day of Remembrance, but it is the non-government organizations and local communities that often provide the most moving tributes and make the most visible plans to take action.
Your community may be holding an event, you can join an online event, or perhaps you may want to observe the World Day of Remembrance in your own way – such as writing a letter to your local newspaper or city official about the World Day of Remembrance or learning more about the impact of road crashes in your community. You may want to watch the WHO Statement for the 2024 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety released, or read the report, which details people’s experiences of road crashes (The Day Our World Crumbled: The Human Cost of Inaction on Road Safety). You can also watch and share, The Human Cost of Inaction on Road Safety.
Community involvement in World Day of Remembrance
Although this is a day when we reflect on the very human and personal side of road crashes, the World Day of Remembrance is also a perfect opportunity for every community, every organization, and every person to take action to prevent future deaths and injuries.
We can renew and strengthen our resolve to prevent road deaths and injuries and to seek out relevant information to advocate for and implement the most effective efforts in our communities.
We can get both information and inspiration from diverse resources including many that are freely available from the Traffic Injury Research Foundation, Amend, Asia Injury Prevention Foundation, Association for Safe International Road Travel, Chariots of Destiny, Families for Safe Streets, FIA Foundation, Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, WHO’s Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, Irish Road Victims Association, Kolling Institute, North Foundation, Vision Zero Network and many others.
We all have a role to play in making our roads safe and ensuring our or someone else’s loved ones get home safely. Our choices matter, every day, every time we get behind the wheel, jump on our bike, scooter or another two-wheeled device, or simply step off the curb. Avoiding distraction, speed, fatigue, and impairment are choices we make when we use the roads, but it is also an important choice we make to advocate for a safe road system that protects all of us. The simplest thing we can all do on the World Day of Remembrance is to speak up because speaking up can positively influence good policy decisions which can make our roads safe for everyone.
So, with just over 2,200 days left in the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, every day is important. On the World Day of Remembrance and each subsequent day, let’s plan to REMEMBER, SUPPORT and ACT.
Together, we can help prevent more deaths and injuries on our roads.
Upcoming events taking place across the globe are listed at: https://worlddayofremembrance.org/events
WHO World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims event registration is available here.
Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety – Decade of Action Countdown https://www.roadsafetyngos.org
#MySafeRoadHome blog authors: Karen Bowman, Director, Communications & Programs (Drop It And Drive® program) and Robyn Robertson, TIRF President & CEO, work collaboratively as co-authors, drawing from Robyn’s breadth of knowledge on topics alongside Karen’s blogging background and experience leading the DIAD program since 2010. To date, the DIAD program has been delivered to over 60,000 youth and workers across North America. Robyn is the author of TIRF’s knowledge translation model, is well-versed in implementation strategies and operational practices across several sectors.
Downloadable TIRF #WDoR2024 social media ads:
Note: Right click to save & use.