The U.S. faces an ongoing traffic safety crisis, with more than 40,000 Americans killed in traffic crashes each year—almost equal to the number of gun deaths—and millions more injured. Globally, the nation has the highest traffic death rate of 29 high-income countries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These are the stark statistics that underscore the urgent need for transformative safety measures to prevent further tragic losses, National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit advocacy group, said as it prepared to honor those affected by road accidents on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

“Every life lost in a traffic accident is preventable,” Lorraine Martin, president and chief executive officer of the National Safety Council, said in a statement. “On the World Day of Remembrance, we honor those we have lost and renew our commitment to building a future where every journey ends with a safe destination. We can all contribute to safer roads by adopting strategies that prioritize the safety of all roads. users.”

The safety group joins forces with Vision Zero Network, Families for Safe Streets and it could be me supporting communities across the country as they commemorate the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, celebrated globally on the third Sunday of November each year.

The day, this year celebrated on Sunday 17 November, is dedicated to honoring those affected by road accidents and urging the public and policy makers to take action on life-saving road safety reforms. Communities across the country are organizing events to drive change at the local, state and federal levels. Events include rallies, bike rides and visual memorials for those who have lost a loved one in a road accident or suffered a serious injury.

In Washington, DC, Daniel Langenkamp will host the third annual event “Ride for Your Life”, ended with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of his wife, Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, ​​an American diplomat who was struck and killed while riding her bicycle in Bethesda, Maryland, just weeks after she and her family were evacuated from Ukraine in 2022.

“We must address the dangers on our roads with the urgency they demand,” Langenkamp said in a statement. “Sarah’s death was not just a personal loss, but a tragedy that reflects a larger need for systemic change to protect everyone.”

The National Safety Council said research argued, led by Texas A&M University, demonstrated “overwhelming public support” for reforms favoring roadway redesign and policies that emphasize safety.

“The real tragedy is that these accidents are not accidents, they are preventable,” Leah Shahum, founder and executive director of the Vision Zero Network, said in a statement. “On World Day of Remembrance, we urge leaders to prioritize safety through changes that have been proven to work: redesigning our streets, reducing speed and implementing safety technologies Together, we can create safer environments for everyone.

The timing of this year’s event is significant, Ms. Shahum told Forbes in an email, “as a record number of local elected officials, advocates and people who have lost loved ones in accidents come together locally and show a bipartisan request. for safe streets. We’re seeing major momentum for change at the local level in red and blue communities alike.”

Examples include actions in Memphis, TN; Wichita, KS; Indianapolis, IN and Jacksonville, FL “where eight students were struck and injured in accidents this year and two of those children died,” she said, adding that the World Day of Remembrance event in Jacksonville “will feature 508 white flags representing each of the traffic deaths in city ​​in the last 3 years – a shockingly high number in my own hometown.”

NSC invites the public to engage with stories of resistance and advocacy for safer roads by watching this video.

To find out about communities organizing events and additional information, click Here and Here.