Rallying to Tame Speeds & Save Lives: 75+ U.S. Communities Call for Change on World Day of Remembrance

More than 75 communities in 30 states and Washington, D.C. joined a global call for change on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDoR). On November 16, 2025, people in small towns and major cities organized activities including marches, rallies, candlelight vigils, bike rides, stirring speeches and moving visual tributes as ways to memorialize loved ones killed and injured in traffic crashes. And they called for urgency and action to prevent traffic deaths by prioritizing safety over speed.

As part of this year’s World Day of Remembrance, community members amplified the message that Safe Speeds Save Lives and urged their leaders to use the proven – but too often overlooked – tools that discourage life-threatening speeds. This includes redesigning streets, lowering speed limits and expanding tools such as speed safety cameras and Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) – all powerful strategies to improve safety for everyone on our roads.

The national coordination of WDoR was led by Vision Zero Network, Families for Safe Streets, It Could Be Me, the Road to Zero Coalition (National Safety Council) with organizing and outreach toolkits, one-on-one support and regular peer exchange calls.

This post will continue to be updated as we receive more information from communities. If you’d like your event included in the national recap, please share details with us at info@wdor-usa.org. (Last updated: Nov 19th).

Communities Urge for Action on Safe Speeds

Across the nation, crash survivors, grieving families, advocates and public agency representatives made time to remember those killed and injured in preventable crashes. And they urged action to use proven tools to save lives, including:

In Indianapolis, IN loved ones and local advocates gathered for a memorial walk along Raymond Street, a roadway that has become increasingly dangerous and fatal, where cars cut through and travel at high speed to nearby neighborhood roads. 

As Rich Whitney, a local advocate explained, “We’ve seen 125-year-old bridge blocks knocked out overnight, cars left in the creek, sideswiped vehicles, and even parts of Garfield Park driven through. During rush hour, cars cut through the north part of our neighborhood, blowing through stop signs at 35-40 mph. We don’t want to see anyone else hurt or killed here.”

Those dangers have had devastating consequences this year alone. In February, Dillan Lee Rogers, a father of two, was struck and killed in the Raymond Street I-65 off-ramp crosswalk. In May, four-year-old Alan Marcelo Salas-Garcia was killed when a speeding driver ran a red light hitting the bicycle trailer he was riding in with his father, who was also critically injured. In October, Jeff Gillard was struck and seriously injured while on his way to the bus stop for his morning commute.

After a memorial walk, participants urged the City of Indianapolis to prioritize safe walking and biking infrastructure on Raymond Street, including redesigning the road, adding traffic calming measures and lowering speed limits. While the City passed a Vision Zero Ordinance in 2024 and is working on a Vision Zero Plan, advocates, community members and impacted families urged the City to act now with targeted safety investments to address the known dangers.

City-County Councilor Jesse Brown, who helped organize the event, underscored the urgency: "The people of Indianapolis deserve safe streets. Our public safety budgets have never been larger, yet more vulnerable road users than ever are dying on our streets. We cannot tolerate the status quo that treats predictable death and injury as unpreventable tragedies; this is a systemic problem that requires systemic solutions."

In Boston, MA, families and advocates honored the more than 2,000 people who were injured and more than 300 who lost their lives in the Commonwealth in 2025. Massachusetts Families for Safe Streets marked the scale of the crisis by placing over 300 yellow flags, each representing a life lost this year alone. And those who lost loved ones in crashes held yellow flowers. They urged the State to authorize the use of speed safety cameras and red-light cameras and to strengthen safety requirements for large trucks, which are disproportionately harmful on the roads, especially for people walking and biking. Legislators Senate President Pro Tempore Will Brownsberger, Representative Steve Owens, and Representative Marjorie Decker were present. 

WDoR Puts Faces to the Numbers

In Washington, D.C., nearly 1,000 people turned out for the fourth annual Ride for Your Life, one of the nation’s largest WDoR events. The event is organized by Dan Langenkamp, whose wife, Sarah, was hit and killed three years ago, as she was biking to their kids’ school in Bethesda, Maryland.

This year’s ride traveled 10 miles from downtown Bethesda to the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. At a rally there, the crowd urged Congress to pass the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act, which would give states more flexibility to use federal funding to build bicycle and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure. Prominent elected leaders, including Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin and State Delegate Marc Korman, joined in solidarity to support more safety-centered infrastructure to slow speeds and prevent crashes.

“World Day of Remembrance is about grieving, yes, but to me it’s also about change,” Dan Langenkamp shared before the event. “I don’t do this just to remember my wife, Sarah. I do it because I don’t want other people like her to die. We rally at the Lincoln Memorial because we want our nation’s leaders to wake up and do something about this crisis.”

His advocacy led to Maryland’s passage of a new law that extends the same protections to people in bike lanes as those in crosswalks. The bike lane where Sarah was killed has also been improved with green paint and new flex-post delineators, part of a long-term project that will eventually redesign the entire portion of road where she died. Strong advocacy is still needed in Bethesda, as some people continue to argue against bike lanes. Read Langenkamp’s powerful response.

Building on the urgency and determination shared by Dan Langenkamp, impacted loved ones and community advocates also marched to the Lincoln Memorial, joining the Washington, D.C. Ride for Your Life rally on the Memorial steps.

In Brevard County, Florida the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization (SCTPO) marked World Day of Remembrance by honoring the 478 people killed and more than 2,000 seriously injured on area roads between 2020 and 2024. They displayed an installation of 478 flags as families shared memories of their loved ones.

In a powerful tribute in the week leading up to World Day of Remembrance, SCTPO shared a powerful Memory Wall featuring 15 personal tributes shared by families and friends, offering moving portraits of the people behind the statistics. 

The Memory Wall features tributes to Lee Cunningham, a passionate cyclist who rode thousands of miles each year and was hit and killed by a driver while biking. It shares the story of Susan Connolly, who was described as a thoughtful and dedicated community activist, and who died after being involved in a car crash. It honors Laura Hoeft, who was described as a joyful, compassionate person and who was struck and killed by a driver just two days before her 18th birthday. View the full Memory Wall to read more stories and tributes from loved ones.

In Richmond, VA, Tammy McGee and other families impacted by traffic violence gathered at the Virginia State Police headquarters to remember loved ones and to advocate for stronger road safety measures. The event highlighted the ongoing crisis of traffic deaths in Virginia, where crashes claimed 918 lives in 2024. 

“Connor's death, like so many others, was 100% preventable. And that loss changed every single part of my life," said Tammy McGee, executive director of the Virginia-based Gweedo Memorial Foundation, an advocacy nonprofit created to honor her 16-year-old son who was killed in a crash caused by an unlicensed, reckless driver. The memorial event was organized in part by McGee's foundation and emphasized that traffic fatalities represent more than statistics – they are real people with families and futures cut short.

The city’s DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey acknowledged that current safety efforts in the state have not been sufficient to address the crisis. "Remembrance without action in Virginia is not enough and we have to do something different," he said. To date, the state has implemented several measures aimed at reducing traffic deaths, including a seatbelt law, requiring backseat passengers to buckle up, and the first statewide Intelligent Speed Assistance law, which allows speed-limiting devices to be installed on vehicles of individuals convicted of driving more than 100 mph

"You don't think that it can happen to you until it does," said Meredith Spies, who lost her mother to a crash caused by a dump truck driver who was texting. "So our purpose with the victims and families is to keep other people from being in our shoes."

In Phoenix, AZ, Chandra Goff along with other impacted families held a vigil and called for elected officials and the city to do more for road safety including scaling up safe street designs that protect people from fast-moving traffic and slow speeds in areas where people are crossing. 

Chandra lost her mom, Libby, back in July after she was struck by a car during her morning run. Earlier in the year, her father was also hit while riding his bike, but thankfully survived. “The least we can do to carry her spirit forward is to help prevent this from happening to other people, because it’s far too common.”

Why We Should Prioritize Safety Over Speed

The message that Safe Speeds Save Lives was amplified across the country because it is a powerful – but often overlooked – fact that has life and death consequences. It is a simple truth grounded in science and lived experience: the faster the vehicle, the more likely a crash occurs and the more severe the crash is likely to be. Research shows that even a reduction as little as 1 mph in average speed is associated with a 5% reduction in crashes

The good news is that we have the tools to address dangerous speeds. Recent experiences in U.S. communities show how reducing traffic deaths and injuries is possible when safety is prioritized over speed. A few examples include:

• Austin, TX reduced serious and fatal crashes by 86% in locations where it added traffic-calmed measures, by 15% on arterials where speed limits were lowered and by 42% in areas where protected intersections were added. Austin’s 10-Year Vision Zero Report shares more successes, including hundreds of millions in annual cost savings.
• Madison, WI lowered speed limits on most city streets and cut fatalities by 58% as part of its 20 is Plenty campaign. 
• Seattle, WA lowered speed limits on arterial and residential streets, reducing injury crashes by 20%. 
• San Francisco’s new speed safety camera program has reduced speeding in those locations by 72%, bringing average speeds below the posted limit.
• Cleveland’s pilot project adding speed tables reduced average speeds by nearly 8 mph and is now being expanded.

Meanwhile, Families for Safe Streets advocates have been championing state-level efforts to enable the use of Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), a proven technology that prevents dangerous speeds, for those convicted of dangerous speeding. To date, Washington State, Virginia and Washington, DC have passed new ISA laws to stop super speeders, and more than a dozen states are expected to consider bills in the next year. 

These and other well-proven strategies to manage speeds need to be embraced in more places – and communities across the nation spoke up for prioritizing safety over speed on World Day of Remembrance.

In Rochester, NY, advocates and families affected by traffic crashes gathered to share their stories, march, and hold a candlelight vigil and moment of silence for loved ones lost. They urged the City of Rochester and communities across Monroe County to lower speed limits to 25 mph by the end of 2026. As part of the day’s efforts, organizers also launched an updated Monroe County Crash Map to highlight patterns in bike and pedestrian crashes and help guide safer street design in the years ahead.

As part of the day’s efforts, organizers also launched an updated Monroe County Crash Map to highlight patterns in bike and pedestrian crashes and help guide safer street design in the years ahead.

In San Diego, CA, families, advocates, and members of the Vision Zero Coalition gathered to call on the Mayor and City Council to adopt their 2027 roadway safety budget priorities. They urged the city to fix the “Fatal 15” intersections where crashes are most severe, expand red-curb daylighting to improve visibility, and to slow speeds around school zones so children can travel safely every day.

In Elizabeth, NJ,  families of traffic crash victims and  street safety advocates gathered at the Elizabeth River Trailhead to honor lives lost and call for urgent statewide action. The event featured white flags representing every life taken on New Jersey’s roads this year, along with banners and signs highlighting crash statistics, along with a powerful display of ghost bikes, flowers, and photos of loved ones killed in traffic crashes. Advocates urged state leaders to fully implement New Jersey’s first-in-the-nation Target Zero Action Plan with measurable, funded strategies to eliminate traffic deaths by 2040, and to pass the Traffic Crash Victims Bill of Rights (A5629/S4342).

In Memphis, TN, street safety advocates gathered at Medical District Park to remember the 188 people killed on Memphis roads in 2024 and call for infrastructure changes to prevent future roadway deaths.

“The United States has the highest fatal crash rate of all 29 highest-income countries. Memphis has the highest fatal crash rate in the United States,” said Jackson McNeil with Innovate Memphis’ Street Fair. “These aren’t just numbers and statistics. These are our fellow Memphians.”

Among those attending was transportation engineer Will Henke, who shared the experience of his friend and her brother being struck by a driver while walking late at night, killing the man. 

In the Bronx, New York City, advocates and families joined together to honor loved ones lost to traffic violence and engaged their community in supporting the state’s Stop Super Speeders bill which would mandate Intelligent Speed Assistance for the worst repeat speeders. Learn more about how states across the country are taking action to stop ‘super speeders’ and read about what it’s like to drive with an ISA device. 

In Milwaukee, WI, families and advocates gathered ahead of World Day of Remembrance to urge the city to take stronger action to curb reckless and impaired driving, highlighting how these crashes continue to devastate local families. Speakers, including crash survivor Chloe Handrich and leaders from the Coalition for Safe Driving MKE, called for meaningful steps to prevent further deaths and injuries – reinforced by Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s pledge to use “every single tool that’s available to us” to protect residents.

In Durham, NC, families and advocates gathered at Central Park to honor the 1,732 people killed on the state’s roads last year. The memorial exhibit, hosted in partnership with the City of Durham, Bike Durham, and NC Families for Safe Streets, features pairs of shoes symbolizing each life lost. Together, transportation leaders and community members called for stronger actions to manage speeds to prevent future tragedies.

In San Francisco, CA advocates, crash survivors, impacted families, and more gathered on the steps of city hall to honor the 348 people killed and more than 5,000 severely injured on the city’s streets. The event offered a supportive space for those directly affected by traffic crashes to reflect, grieve, and find comfort among others who understand their loss. Advocates and loved ones called on Mayor Daniel Lurie and city agency leaders to put the city’s new Street Safety Act into action with clear plans, timelines, and accountability to ensure meaningful safety improvements.

In Jacksonville, FL advocates and city officials gathered at Artist Square Park in Riverside to honor the 100 people killed in traffic crashes over the past year. Bike Walk Jax leaders shared how these losses have deeply affected the city’s diverse communities, while transportation practitioners emphasized the need to expand proven safety interventions already underway. As part of their call to action, Bike Walk Jax urged the City of Jacksonville to adopt an ordinance allowing the use of speed cameras in school zones and to broaden its current school zone policy to include middle schools and high schools.

More WDoR Inspiration and Calls for Change

In Fresno, CA, community members and advocates urged city leaders to advance the Vision Zero work already underway. They called on elected officials to adopt a resolution identifying the city’s “fatal five” locations on the High-Injury Network and to direct staff to develop and implement safety countermeasures at these high-risk sites.

Joe Martinez, whose 21-year-old son Paul was killed by a distracted driver in 2013, has been helping to organize WDoR events for several years. He recently told People magazine, “I've found purpose in my pain, working to raise awareness that fatal traffic collisions can be prevented and pushing for road safety improvements,” Martinez says. “My hope is that no other family will suffer the same loss as mine, and that together we can make Fresno's streets safer for everyone.”

In New Britain, CT, families of crash victims joined advocates and elected officials to honor those lost and injured and to call for stronger statewide action on road safety. The event featured personal stories from family members, followed by reading the names of pedestrians and bicyclists killed on Connecticut roads, and a display of more than 300 small flags representing lives lost since last year’s observance.

In Los Angeles, CA, families and advocates came together to honor those killed on LA County roads in 2024 and to raise awareness of the growing roadway safety crisis via a large public art installation. Inspired by the Empty Chair Club, the installation featured 711 black chairs, each with a single yellow rose, symbolizing every life lost to traffic violence. For organizations interested in sharing support resources, California’s Office of Traffic Safety invites national and California-based groups to submit a brief description, logo, resource link, and contact information for inclusion on its Traffic Safety Victim Support & Other Resources page.

In Portland, OR, advocates and families gathered at Luuwit View Park to honor all those killed or directly impacted by traffic crashes. The event acknowledged the deep and widespread suffering experienced by victims’ families and communities. Nearly 100 people attended, many of whom have lost loved ones and called for coordinated action to address speeds.

In Salt Lake City, UT, advocates and those impacted by traffic violence gathered in Washington Square Park in downtown Salt Lake City to honor those who have lost their lives or who have been impacted by traffic incidents. Advocates called for safer speed limits, traffic calming, and policy to support these changes.

In Providence, RI, a few dozen community members gathered for the state’s first-ever World Day of Remembrance event, honoring seven pedestrians and bicyclists killed this year in Providence and Woonsocket. Families of four crash victims shared their stories, followed by remarks from Mayor Brett Smiley and three city councilors.

​​In Kansas City, MO, residents gathered outside City Hall to honor friends and family members injured or killed by traffic violence. More than 40 people from across the metro region came together, including family members and crash survivors to share their stories. Participants were also joined by council member and BikeWalkKC co-founder, Eric Bunch, who spoke about the city’s commitment to Vision Zero and strengthening safety on Kansas City’s streets.

In Pocatello, ID, crash victims and their families shared their stories and losses, underscoring the lasting impact of traffic violence in their community, followed by a candlelight vigil to honor those lost and injured.

In Jersey City, NJ, community members and advocates came together for a World Day of Remembrance ceremony honoring those killed on the city’s streets. Families of crash victims and local advocates shared stories about their loved ones before setting out on a memorial bike ride, visiting several ghost bike memorials where people lost their lives to traffic violence.

In Arlington, VA, impacted families and advocates gathered at Gateway Park – located at the intersection of Fort Myer Drive and Langston Boulevard – to honor lives lost and call for safer streets. Delegate Patrick Hope spoke about the state’s ISA bill, underscoring the urgency of stronger speed management tools and crash survivor Helen Harris recounted how a truck driver struck her while she was crossing a crosswalk. The walkway into the event was lined with 24 chalk silhouettes, each representing a pedestrian killed in Northern Virginia in 2024, a stark reminder of the lives behind the statistics.

Agencies and Leaders Honor the Lives Lost to Traffic Violence

Local and state leaders participated in many of the events, accompanied by people whose children, parents or friends had been killed or severely injured in crashes that could and should be prevented in the future.

In Charlotte, NC, the Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) hosted an evening of reflection that centered victims’ voices and underscored the human toll of the transportation system. Attendees heard from speakers before joining a memorial walk and sharing a meal in fellowship. The event also reaffirmed CDOT and CMPD’s commitment to eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries. Ahead of the event, the City shared two video tributes telling the stories of Adrion Avery, who lost his life while riding his motorcycle, and six-year-old Liam, whose life was cut short due to street racing – putting victims’ experiences at the forefront, making clear the devastating human cost of our current transportation system.

In Madison, WI, city leaders marked World Day of Remembrance with an installation at Olbrich Park, honoring residents killed in traffic crashes. Madison became a Vision Zero community in 2020 and is striving to use a data-driven approach to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by the year 2030.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway reaffirmed the city’s commitment to Vision Zero, noting “I’m committed to Madison being an exceptionally safe city. Even one life lost on our streets is one too many. It’s important to bring attention to traffic fatalities because we as a community can prevent these tragedies. “Everyone deserves to travel through and around our City safely, no matter their mode of transportation.”

In Toledo, OH, the city, in partnership with the Toledo Lucas County Health Department, YMCA of Greater Toledo, and community partners, set up two art installations honoring victims of traffic incidents during a ceremony for World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in the United States. The installation featured 122 flags representing traffic fatalities from the past three years and served as a visual reminder of lives lost and Toledo’s ongoing commitment to Vision Zero. 

“Events like this bring attention to the importance of safe street design, speed management, and community involvement,” Stephanie Bartlett, the Vision Zero Coordinator. “We continue to implement proven strategies to prevent serious injuries and fatalities, and this installation helps the public visualize the impact of our work.”

In Portland, ME, Vision Zero leaders gathered to honor the memory of the 429 victims of traffic violence in the state of Maine, including Joe Lewis, a beloved local attorney, who was recently struck by a driver while on his way to work. At the event, a white flag was placed for every crash that occurred in the state this year, alongside red flags marking each life lost.

In Delaware County, OH, SAFE Coordinator Jackie Bain and Sgt. Kyle Fox joined the Delaware County Commissioners to declare November 16 as the World Day of Remembrance to honor those impacted by traffic crashes in 2025 in Delaware County.

In Topeka, KS, the Kansas Drive to Zero Coalition members honor those who lost their lives in traffic crashes and their surviving families for World Day of Remembrance.

Communities Recognize the Need for Safe Mobility

Thank you to everyone who organized public installations, rallies, bike rides and walks, and who demanded action to manage dangerous speeds on World Day of Remembrance. Your persistence makes progress possible.

We know what works to help keep people safe on our streets and have real-world examples of success, yet safety is still too often treated as an optional add‑on instead of a true priority. Your push to scale up proven safety strategies is inspiring and the organizing doesn’t have to stop here. Here are other ways communities like yours can build on the momentum of World Day of Remembrance organizing:

• Reconvene your WDoR event participants and supporters to both acknowledge your accomplishments so far and strategize what’s next. Building on your WDoR activity can spur a stronger Vision Zero movement!
• Invite your local elected leaders or key agency leaders to a walk or bike ride, to make sure they’re aware of the roadway safety problems (as well as the proven solutions!) in your community. Steal this year’s messaging to help build your case.
• Engage your local newspapers and media stations to help make them aware of your community’s Vision Zero needs (see above). And help educate them on why speed matters and to demonstrate the power of language – encouraging them to use “crashes” instead of “accidents.”
• Share your story and/or others on the FSS’ community map which highlights incidents of traffic violence that have occurred across the nation - putting faces to these statistics.
• Stay up to date on Vision Zero work happening across the country by subscribing to our monthly Vision Zero e-news. And learn and support the work of our partner organizations: Families for Safe Streets, It Could Be Me & Road to Zero Coalition.
• Mark your calendar for the next World Day of Remembrance – November 15, 2026 – and build on the momentum from this year’s event. Check the wdor-usa.org website for future WDoR events.