People killed or injured in road crashes are to be remembered at special events in Liverpool to mark World Day of Remembrance (WDR) for Road Traffic Victims.
They are among a number of services on Sunday 15th November taking place across the UK, coordinated by RoadPeace, as part of a global movement to remember lives lost and broken on our roads.
The Liverpool events have been organised by the RoadPeace North West Group. They start at 1pm in St John’s Gardens at the memorial for road crash victims. During the event there will be a silence to remember loved ones who have died or been injured through road crashes and five doves will be released in memory of the five people who, on average, die in road crashes each day in this country.
Following this there will be light refreshments and the opportunity to talk to each other in St George’s Hall. This will be followed at 3pm by a remembrance service in the Concert Room of St George’s Hall during which names of loved ones killed in road crashes will be read aloud.
The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Tony Concepcion, and the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Mr. Robert Owen, will attend the events.
The theme for this year’s WDR is ‘Say No to Road Crime’. 1.25 million people are killed every year on the world’s roads. In the 10 years since the UN adopted this day, over 12 million have been killed in crashes. Many of these deaths are caused by law breaking drivers, with speeding and drink driving identified by the World Health Organisation as key problems. In Britain, 1775 were reported killed in crashes in 2014. That same year, 315 drivers were convicted in Britain for causing a death.
Pauline Fielding, RoadPeace North West coordinator, said:
“I invite the families and friends of those who have died or been injured in road crashes, together with those who support us, to join us on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. On this special day we bring families and friends together to support each other and we give thanks for the emergency services.
“It is important to remember loved ones who have died but it is also important to raise awareness of the needless loss of life, and of lives changed forever by injuries, in road crashes. All road users, whether they be pedestrians, drivers or cyclists, need to use the roads sensibly. This is especially important at a time when funding for Police and councils has been reduced which has led to fewer Traffic Police and Road Safety Officers.”
Brigitte Chaudhry MBE, RoadPeace Founder and WDR coordinator, whose son Mansoor was tragically killed on the road in 1990, added:
“My real hope is that the awareness – of the terrible toll of road death and injury and the suffering of road victims – raised by the World Day will contribute to a serious reduction in road danger and future deaths and injuries, so that we will not need to remember many, if any, new road victims on our World Day of Remembrance in coming years.”
The World Day of Remembrance has wide support from the emergency services, politicians and NGOs in the UK. Prime Minister David Cameron has given the following message of support for the Day:
“Road deaths and injuries are utterly devastating for all those affected, imposing a terrible human cost on the casualties of collisions and their families – my heart goes out to you all. The World Day of Remembrance is an opportunity to remember all those whose lives have been tragically affected by road collisions, to recognise the excellent work of our emergency services, and to reflect on how we can make our roads safer for all who use them.”