World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims this Sunday

This Sunday, November 21, will mark ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims’ with commemorations to remember the victims of road traffic crashes and their families taking place around the country.

A renewed focus for World Day of Remembrance this year is on the victims of serious injuries and their families.

24,663 people have died on Irish roads since recording fatalities began in 1959. Since 1977, when injury records began, 84,977 people have been seriously injured.

The number of deaths is equivalent to the population of the town of Carlow and the number of serious injuries is equivalent to the population of Galway.

To date this year, 119 people have been killed on Irish roads. This is a decrease of 13 deaths compared to the same date in 2020.

Today, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) held a special event for family members of those who were killed and those who have been seriously injured in road traffic collisions, at the Museum of Modern Literature in Dublin.

The event will be available to view on the RSA Facebook page from 14:00 on Sunday. A special remembrance mass will also be broadcast live on RTE 1 TV this Sunday at 11:00. Events are also taking place nationwide to mark the day.

Liz O’Donnell, RSA chairperson said: “This year marks the 15th year that we have marked World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in Ireland.

“It is our way of ensuring that those who have died or been seriously injured are not forgotten. Because behind the numbers are real people; somebody’s father, brother, son, mother, sister or daughter.

“They are real lives lost or shattered by serious injuries, leaving families and communities devastated as they cope with the lasting impact of death and serious injury on the road.”