by Tiffany Smith September 26, 2022 in Families for Safe Streets, News

Step Up Urgency for Safe Streets: World Day of Remembrance

Join us November 20, 2022 to Push for Safe Streets to Save Lives

Recent Updates:

Submit the details of your event to us by October 20th so that we can help amplify your message.

We have also prepared a range of resources and trainings to assist you in your advocacy efforts. For more information or to sign up for any of the events listed below click here.

  • October 16: Storytelling Training
  • October 25 & 26: WDoR Office Hours
  • November 8th: National organizing call 1 – 2 pm ET / 10 – 11 am PT
  • November 29th: Debrief call 1 – 2 pm ET / 10 – 11 am PT
  • November 21st: Virtual Candle Lighting, 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT

For additional resources on planning a WDoR event, check out our WDoR Organizer’s Toolkit.

As preventable roadway deaths in the U.S. reach a tragic 20-year high, community members across the nation (and world) are stepping up to demand that elected leaders, policy makers, and system designers use their influence to implement proven strategies to end the growing crisis on our roadways. We are urging those who can make change to recognize and act on this simple fact: Safe Streets Save Lives.

This year’s theme of Safe Streets Save Lives recognizes that we have the agency to prioritize safety over speed on our streets and that everyone deserves to be safe on our roads, sidewalks and bikeways.

Photo credit: Evan Semón Photography for Denver Streets Partnership

Together with Families for Safe Streets, It Could Be Me, and the Roadway to Zero Coalition, Vision Zero Network will join local advocates, safety organizations, community leaders, elected officials, and others across the country in honoring the thousands of people killed and injured on the nation’s roads and in organizing for change to prevent these tragedies. We invite anyone who supports the goals of Vision Zero – safe and equitable mobility for all people – to participate in this year’s advocacy efforts.

“I organize a vigil for those who have lost their lives on Minnesota roads during the past year. I do this to underscore how important it is to acknowledge not only our growing public health crisis of road fatalities, but also that these are preventable deaths and that there is so much more we can do to make our roads safer for everyone.”

— Sarah Risser, a member of Families for Safe Streets whose son, Henry, was killed by the driver of a pick-up truck in 2019

Today, far too many roads are designed for high speeds and lack safe space for people walking, bicycling, and using wheelchairs. The good news is that we can fix streets to make them safer and more welcoming for all types of road users, while also discouraging speeding. The recent passage of the federal Infrastructure bill represents an unprecedented opportunity to direct billions of dollars towards fixing deadly roads and improving walking and biking conditions – especially for communities that have been traditionally underserved.

World Day of Remembrance in Nashville in 2021.

This year, communities across the U.S. are organizing events to urge change at the local and state levels. Events will include rallies, bike rides, and visual memorials, as well as a national virtual candle lighting ceremony for those who have lost a loved one in a traffic crash or suffered a serious injury.

Check Back Here for a Full List of 2022 World Day of Remembrance Events Planned Across the U.S. 
World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims in San Francisco in 2016. Jenny Yu fights back tears as she describes the life-long impact to her mom Judy, after her crash. Photo by Adrienne L. Johnson.

Want to learn more about past events? Take a look at this summary of 2021 WDoR events here.

We know that planning an advocacy event can be intimidating, but we can help make the process less daunting. To access resources on how to host a WDoR advocacy event or for more information about joining this network of organizers, you can register here.



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