PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2024

CONTACT: Jodie Medeiros, Executive Director, Walk SF, jodie@walksf.org, 415-596-1580 (cell); Marta Lindsey, Communications Director, Walk SF, marta@walksf.org, 617-833-7654 (cell)

317 pairs of ‘ghost shoes’ will be placed on the steps of City Hall to honor traffic victims and show the scale of tragedies

Sunday, November 17, 2024 is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

WHEN & WHERE: Sunday, November 17, 2024 5:00-6:00 PM.

WHAT: San Francisco will hold its tenth annual World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims on Sunday, November 17, 2024, from 5:00PM – 6:00PM on the steps of City Hall in San Francisco. 

At the heart of the event is a group of people who have been directly affected by traffic crashes, including people who have had loved ones hurt or killed, or have survived a crash themselves.

A temporary memorial will be built on the steps of City Hall, with 317 pairs of white painted ‘ghost shoes’ and the names of every person who has been killed in traffic crashes on San Francisco streets since 2014, when the City committed to Vision Zero, a preventative approach to end severe and fatal crashes.

A ‘ghost’ stroller, bike, and walker painted white will be on display, as well as photos of some of the people killed in crashes.

All the victims’ names will be read by City leaders. Confirmed to attend:

• State Senator Scott Wiener
• City Attorney David Chiu
• Myrna Melgar, District 7 Supervisor
• Rafael Mandelman, District 8 Supervisor
• Danny Sauter, District 3 Supervisor-Elect
• Former District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee, a founder of Families for Safe Streets and a crash survivor
• Tilly Chang, Executive Director of SF County Transportation Authority
• Jeffrey Tumlin, SFMTA Director of Transportation
• Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA Director of Streets
• Janet Tarlov, SFMTA Board of Directors
• Mike Chen, SFMTA Board of Directors
• Commander Nicole Jones, SF Police Department

A candlelit vigil with live music and stories of loved ones will be led by the San Francisco Night Ministry.

Walk SF’s executive director Jodie Medeiros will be available for interviews, as well as members of the victims’ group, Bay Area Families for Safe Streets. 

Leading up to this year’s World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Walk SF and Families for Safe Streets posted memorial signs at the locations of all 317 fatal traffic crashes in the past decade.

On this ten-year anniversary of Vision Zero, Walk SF and Families for Safe Streets are calling on City leaders – to recommit to and focus unwaveringly on Vision Zero – with bold, meaningful actions for safe streets now.

World Day of Remembrance is hosted by San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets and Walk San Francisco.

**Rain or Shine**

Location: Event will be held on the steps of City Hall on Polk Street (1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Pl.) at 5:00PM.

5:00: Gathering & Welcome. Jodie Medeiros, Executive Director of Walk San Francisco, and Jenny Yu, Founding Member of Bay Area Families for Safe Streets, will speak.

5:15 Reading of the Names. The names of all those killed in traffic crashes on San Francisco streets since January 2014 will be read by City leaders and agency officials.

5:30 Song. Local musician John Elliott will perform his song, A Friend is Hard to Find. Attendees will place candles within the memorial throughout the song.

5:35 Vigil & Blessing. John Brett with San Francisco Night Ministry will lead the vigil. Members of Families for Safe Streets will share memorials about their loved ones.

5:50 Event ends.

VISUALS:   

• Large photos of San Francisco traffic crash victims.
• A temporary memorial across the steps of City Hall with 317 pairs of white-painted ‘ghost shoes,’ placards for each of the people killed in a San Francisco traffic crash since 2014, and photos.
• A ‘ghost’ stroller, bicycle, and walker, all painted white.

BACKGROUND:

In San Francisco, around 30 people are killed in traffic crashes each year, and more than 500 severely injured.

Each year, pedestrians make up the greatest share of fatalities and continue to be the most vulnerable on our streets. As of November 7, 2024, 32 people have died in traffic crashes this year and 21 were pedestrians.

317 people have been killed in traffic crashes since January 2014 and around 5,000 have been severely injured. In 2014, the City of San Francisco adopted Vision Zero. Vision Zero is a data-driven, preventative, and intersectional approach and commitment to end severe and fatal traffic crashes.

While the City has made important progress in redesigning streets to improve safety in support of Vision Zero, severe and fatal crash numbers have yet to go down.

The past decade has also brought additional and significant challenges: increased traffic from delivery trucks and rideshare services; larger, heavier, and more powerful vehicles; and a rise in dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors.

Walk SF believes that the City’s approach to Vision Zero is not yet being applied at the scale, pace, and boldness needed to succeed.

The #1 cause of severe and fatal traffic crashes in San Francisco is speeding. Speed increases the likelihood and severity of a crash. Pedestrians are highly vulnerable as speed rises above 25 MPH. The most frequently cited study on speed and risk of fatality shows that at 25 MPH and under, a person has a less than 1 in 4 chance of being severely injured or killed if they are hit. But by 40 MPH, this flips, with 75% of pedestrians suffering life-threatening injuries or dying. As vehicles become larger, heavier, and more powerful, this adds additional risk for pedestrians.

Walk San Francisco continues urging progress in three crucial areas:

• Bringing down dangerous speeds. Speeding continues to be the #1 cause of severe and fatal traffic crashes in San Francisco. While it’s great news that the City will launch speed cameras on 33 streets in February 2025, many more actions are needed to bring down speeds everywhere. Walk SF supports: lowering speed limits on every possible street; reducing lanes on the widest, fastest streets to calm traffic; dramatically expanding turn calming’ to slow drivers; and a comprehensive plan to reduce speeds in a variety of ways including a proactive, streamlined approach for adding speed humps in many more locations.
• Bring every safety solution to intersections so people are safe crossing. The City needs to fully harness the new state daylighting law, which requires removing parking within 20 feet of the crosswalk so drivers have better visibility. Pedestrian safety zones to slow right-turning drivers are needed at all designated high-injury intersections.
• Complete existing Vision Zero commitments. This includes: finishing basic pedestrian safety improvements to the high-injury network (the 12% of streets where 68% of crashes occur); installing long-overdue red light cameras at the 8 approved locations; and completing an expanded active transportation network for biking and walking.

Nationally, pedestrian deaths are at their highest numbers since 1981 and with 20 pedestrians dying every day on average.

SOCIAL MEDIA

#WDoR2024 @walksf

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World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is a global event honoring the 1.35 million people killed and millions more injured in traffic crashes each year. This is San Francisco’s tenth annual World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims. World Day of Remembrance is hosted by San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets and Walk San Francisco. Learn more at walksf.org/WDR.

Walk San Francisco (‘Walk SF’) advocates on behalf of all pedestrians in San Francisco, pushing for solutions so our streets are safe for every age and ability. Learn more.

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.