Shining a light at this year’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

For eleven years now, rain or shine, we have hosted World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims together with the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of Families for Safe Streets. This event is made possible in part through support from the Department of Public Health, City and County of San Francisco.

For people who have been directly affected by a traffic crash, this is a unique – and uniquely important space – for grief and understanding. A member of Families for Safe Streets shared this with me:

“Even though I think of my brother every single day, the past many years it has been comforting to know that for a moment, I will stand with and be with others who know the pain that I know.”

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims shines a light on what’s happening on our streets and on the lives forever changed or cut short by traffic crashes. It also shines a light on how our streets, vehicles, and transportation systems are often designed to be dangerous. 

It is a powerful thing that many people from the broader community attended in solidarity with victims and to demand change. I’m also grateful to the many State and City elected leaders and City Department Directors for joining us on Sunday: State Senator Scott Wiener, City Attorney David Chiu, District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill, District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter, District 7 Myrna Melgar, Board President Rafael Mandelman, SFFD Chief Dean Crispin, Department of Public Works Director Carla Short, Executive Director of SF County Transportation Authority Tilly Chang, SFMTA Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA Director of Streets Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA Board Chair Janet Tarlov, SFMTA Board Member Stephanie Cajina, and SFMTA Board Member Mike Chen. Thank you for standing with us for safe streets. 

Together, we can light the way to the many changes needed on our streets.

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San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets co-founder Jenny Yu shared some opening remarks. Jenny’s mother Judy was hit and severely injured by a speeding driver while crossing Park Presidio Boulevard. Photo by William McLeod.

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At the heart of the event is Families for Safe Streets, a group of people who have been directly affected by traffic crashes. Photo by William McLeod.

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Members of Families for Safe Streets shared their stories. Photo by William McLeod.

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A crowd gathers around a temporary memorial of painted 'ghost shoes' at World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Photo by William McLeod.

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City leaders read out the names of the 348 victims who have been killed in traffic crashes since 2014, when the City adopted its Vision Zero policy. Photo by William McLeod.

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State Senator Scott Wiener has been a champion for safe streets in San Francisco and at the State Capitol. Photo by William McLeod.

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District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar authored the Street Safety Act this year: a blueprint for how San Francisco can accelerate progress to end severe & fatal traffic crashes. Photo by William McLeod.

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Photo by Fiona Yim.

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Vigil and blessing led by Chaplain DeAnna Christmas. Photo by William McLeod.

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Members of Families for Safe Streets shared their stories. Photo by William McLeod.

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Photo by Fiona Yim.

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Photo by Fiona Yim.

San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets is a group of people who have been directly affected by traffic crashes, including crash survivors and people whose loved ones have been killed or injured in traffic crashes. Learn more.

Questions? Contact marta@walksf.org.

Banner image: William McLeod