For the 21st consecutive year since 1993, on the 3rd Sunday of November, the World Day in Remembrance of Road Victims is celebrated. It is celebrated as World Day, officially recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN).
The spirit of this celebration is that the public evocation of the memory of those who lost their lives or health on the roads, national and world streets means a recognition, by States and society, of the tragic dimension of accidents. A day that also pays tribute to the emergency teams, the police and the medical professionals who daily deal with the traumatic consequences of accidents.
Killing more than 1.2 million people each year, mostly between the ages of 5 and 44, road traffic disasters are one of the top three causes of death worldwide. More than 3,400 men, women and children are killed every day on the world's roads while walking, cycling or traveling in motorized transport. Another 20 to 50 million people are injured each year as a result of road accidents.
In Portugal, this year alone (until 7 November) there were 397 deaths and 1,736 serious injuries, and over the years there are countless direct and indirect victims of accidents, lives forever affected by this reality.
This year, the international motto of the Day of Remembrance – “speed kills” – evokes the third pillar of the Global Plan for Road Safety 2011/2020.
The organization of the celebration in Portugal began in 2001 and has been ensured since 2004 by Estrada Viva (Liga contra o Trauma), in collaboration with Portuguese government entities. This year's awareness and celebration campaign has the institutional support of the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), the General Directorate of Health (DGS), the National Republican Guard (GNR) and the Public Security Police (PSP), with the sponsorship of Liberty Seguros.
