World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims, November 16

With over 1.2 million people killed each year, road crashes are one of the world’s leading causes of death. Over 3400 men, women and children are killed every single day on the world’s roads while walking, cycling, or driving. Another 20–50 million others are injured each year, killing mostly those between 5 and 44 years of age.

For the 21^st time since 1993, the Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims will be remembered at a global level, and this year marks the 10^th Anniversary since being recognized by the UN General Assembly in 2005, supported by the World Health Organization.

This year’s theme: “Speed Kills, Design Out Speeding”

Excessive speed is a key contributory cause of road deaths and injuries, hence technologies that design out speeding would potentially provide the safest vehicles – both to people outside and occupants.

This year’s theme relates to the call in Pillar 3 of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Safer Vehicles. The 3^rd of 5 Pillars calls for vehicles with improved vehicle safety & crash avoidance technologies and with high levels of occupant and vulnerable road user protection, as well as enhanced consumer information about safety performance of motor vehicles and minimum crash test standards.

For years this Remembrance Day has been mainly observed in Europe but as it is now listed as an international activity during the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety, celebrations are held on every continent, in particular in those fast developing countries that today bear the bulk of road deaths and injuries.

Below find some useful links to examples of Global activities in case you would like to attend or to take inspiration for your own event.

Links:

• World Day of Remembrance
• European Federation of Road Traffic Victims
• Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety
• UN Road Safety Collaboration

Materials

• WHO – World Day of Remembrance
• Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety