In 2023, U.S. traffic crashes claimed the lives of 40,990 people, almost equal to the number of gun-related deaths. To honor their lives and pressure leaders to take measures to reduce the record numbers of traffic deaths in America, the Vision Zero Network has commemorated the third Sunday of November each year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
The Vision Zero Network has partnered with Families for Safe Streets, It Could Be Me, Road to Zero Coalition and the National Safety Council to help communities across the nation organize local World Day of Remembrance events to advocate for road safety solutions, including:
- New sidewalks, protected bikeways and traffic calming measures.
- Lowering speed limits and redesigning roadways to deter dangerous speeds.
- Using lifesaving technologies like speed safety cameras and intelligent speed assistance in vehicles.
To increase awareness about traffic safety, the City of Bellevue has held a Safe System Speaker Series and has made a pledge to help end traffic deaths and serious injury collisions in Bellevue. It has also asked residents to take the same pledge.
PSRC is also working with communities across the region to develop a Regional Safety Action Plan to address roadway deaths and injuries and follows the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Systems Approach. The plan is scheduled to be adopted in the spring of 2025.