Honouring road traffic victims and inspiring global change

In 1992, Brigitte Chaudhry, a bereaved mother whose son, Mansoor, was tragically killed by a red-light violator, founded RoadPeace, the UK’s national charity for road crash victims. Her personal tragedy – compounded by the driver responsible being fined only £250 for what was deemed “a minor traffic offence” – spurred her to take action, both in the UK and globally.

As the founder of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, now observed in countries worldwide, the RoadPeace President reflects on how the event has evolved and its enduring significance in the movement towards safer roads for all. In the days leading up to this important day, she considers how far the road safety community has come, and what still needs to change, to prevent needless deaths and injuries.

How did you come up with the concept for our World Day of Remembrance?

“Sometimes an idea becomes a powerful reality and this is what our World Day has become over the past 30 years. It was born in response to the enormous scale and impact of road deaths and injuries – a worldwide permanent civil war on the roads – which needed to be given a special regular remembrance day. The Sunday after Remembrance Sunday, when victims of wars are honoured and remembered, was chosen as our day – the 3rd Sunday of November, which is known as the month of remembrance.

“On my suggestion, this agreement was made between the representatives of road victim organisations under the umbrella of FEVR, the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims, and therefore from 1995 onwards, led by RoadPeace, events began to be held in many countries on the day that was at first called by us ‘European Day of Remembrance’.”

Why is the WDoR important?

“The World Day is aimed at ending the shocking indifference to road deaths and injuries, at giving acknowledgement to the suffering of the bereaved and injured and publicity to the needless and preventable loss of lives, too often young lives. It is therefore a very important day for road victims and all who support them. It is also appreciated by road safety campaigners and advocates as an opportunity for highlighting the huge scale, impact and cost of this carnage, and for taking action.”

What can people do on WDoR to remember those who have been killed?

“The fact that a dedicated day now exists specifically for road traffic victims is already of huge value and support. Such a day also provides the opportunity for many varied remembrance events, such as religious services, concerts, marches through towns, displays showing the scale, talks and lectures and very many more. The illumination of civic buildings can alert whole communities and testimonies can provide deeper understanding that this is a disaster that can truly affect anyone.”

Brigitte, pictured with former FEVR President, Jeannot Mesrch (left) and Prince Michael of Kent
at the International Road Safety Awards 2015

What role does acknowledging the work of the emergency services play during WDoR? Why is this important?

“Road deaths and injuries are very serious, shocking and traumatic events. The emergency services – medical professionals, fire and rescue crews and traffic policemen – have to deal daily with the traumatic aftermath of road death and injury. Their distressing and difficult work is acknowledged and the gratitude expressed in tributes paid to them on World Day.”

How has WDoR evolved over the years since it was first established?

“By the year 2000, our day became World Day when the Pope remembered road victims worldwide on the 3rd Sunday of November and NGOs from non-European countries – Africa, South America and Asia – under FEVR’s umbrella began to observe it.

“Then in 2004, the World Health Organisation was elected by the UN to become the ‘Coordinator for tackling the global road safety crisis’ and WHO set up the UN Road Safety Collaboration Forum on which I represented FEVR as its new president. A global road safety day was proposed at this forum and I suggested to choose our World Day of Remembrance instead as this global day.

“A resolution was drafted accordingly and on 26th October 2005 our World Day was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly as “the appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families.” Since then, the World Day has been commemorated across all continents – not only by NGOs advocating for road victims and road safety, but also by governments and very many other stakeholders. It truly has become an all-powerful ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims’.

How does society treat people who have lost loved ones in road crashes?

“Because road crashes, even those that result in death and serious injury and are caused by law-breaking, are not treated seriously, the suffering of the families and the needless loss of life and quality of life in case of injuries are also not given proper acknowledgement and are instead treated with offensive casualness. This treatment increases the suffering of the affected families further.”

Do you think enough is being done to recognise the experiences of those bereaved? Why is it important for these experiences to be visible and acknowledged?

“Here I want to use some quotes from the Press Releases of 16th November 2004 – these contain the answers to both the above questions:
‘Road crashes are the leading cause of violent deaths and injuries worldwide …’
‘…Every day thousands of people will never return home, leaving behind shattered families and communities. Current efforts to address road safety are minimal in comparison to this growing human suffering…’
‘Road deaths and injuries are not treated as seriously as other disasters, and road victims do not receive the same respect and compassion as other victims of violence…’
‘We hope that knowing they are not alone or forgotten will provide comfort to crash victims and a source of strength. We welcome the growing national and international support for our Remembrance Day. With millions of people across the globe we share sadness and despair, but also hope for an end to this preventable carnage.’

What do you think the Government should be doing to make our roads safer?

“The Government must begin to view ALL road deaths and injuries as totally unacceptable and begin to seriously apply all possible measures, and there are many, to prevent them and reach near ZERO casualties, which is our Vision, the vision of all advocates for road traffic victims and road danger reduction.

“Simply using the roads cannot continue to represent a daily lottery of whether we return home alive and uninjured or not! To end it, irresponsible and dangerous road use must be considered and treated as intolerable and repugnant, indeed as criminal.”

What action can individuals take on this issue?

“With the help of all the World Day material, individuals should demand safe roads from their government as a right and not stop campaigning until they have achieved their demand, namely near ZERO road deaths and injuries.

“Let us all start this campaign by demanding ZERO road deaths and injuries on World Day 2024 – let’s make it a Day of (Road) Peace – a day without road crashes!

• a day of respect by and towards all road users
• a day on which exceptional care is taken by motorists
• a day of courtesy at the wheel
• a day when all road laws are respected

31 years of World Day of Remembrance: Brigitte then and now

Updated on: 13 November 2024