World Day of Remembrance
What is World Day of Remembrance?
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (WDR) is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year.
It is a high-profile global event to remember the many millions who have been killed and seriously injured on the world’s roads and to acknowledge the suffering of all affected victims, families and communities – millions added each year to countless millions already suffering: a truly tremendous cumulative toll.
This Day has also become an important tool for governments and all those whose work involves crash prevention or response to the aftermath of crashes, since it offers the opportunity to demonstrate the enormous scale and impact of road deaths and injuries, call for an end to the often trivial and inappropriate response to road death and injury and advocate for urgent concerted action to stop the carnage.
On World Day we too pay tribute to the dedicated emergency crews, police and medical professionals, who deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road crashes.
Why It Matters in Cleveland
Local traffic violence in our neighborhoods continues to take a devastating toll. So far in 2025, 44 people have been killed and 295 people have sustained life-altering injuries in crashes on our city’s streets. These aren’t just numbers, they represent neighbors, family members, and friends whose lives were cut short or forever changed on roads that should connect us, not endanger us.
Traffic violence is a preventable public health crisis. Each life lost is one too many, and every serious injury is a reminder of the urgent need to make our streets safer for everyone, whether they walk, bike, roll, or drive.
This year’s global theme, “Safe Streets for Every Life,” underscores the understanding that safety must be built into the design of our transportation systems. The City of Cleveland has committed to Vision Zero - a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2032 - but our 2024 Crash Report shows the city is not on track to meet that goal. Greater priority must be given to reducing and eliminating roadway violence and death on Cleveland’s streets.
What You Can Do to Help
1. Contact your local representatives and urge them to make street safety a top priority. Tell them we need safer street designs, lower speeds, and continued investment in Vision Zero.
2. Share your story. If you or someone you know has been impacted by a traffic crash, we invite you to share your experience. Personal stories are powerful tools that help policymakers and the public understand the human cost of unsafe streets.
Together, we can build a Cleveland where no one has to lose a loved one to traffic violence.
Together, we can build a Cleveland where no one has to lose a loved one to traffic violence.