World Day of Remembrance honors victims of traffic crashes on November 20th, 2022. Buildings and bridges across the state, including Boston City Hall, are to be lit yellow. A memorial display will be laid in front of the State House. Advocates call on elected leaders to pass An Act to reduce traffic fatalities.
Massachusetts - Since 2015, there have been over 1 million traffic crashes in Massachusetts—2,905 of which resulted in tragic fatalities, and 18,280 of which resulted in serious injuries as of November 18th, 2022.
In the five years leading up to the pandemic, Massachusetts saw an average of 336 fatalities yearly. In 2021, at least 418 people were killed in Massachusetts in traffic crashes. The year-to-date numbers for this year are higher than the same point last year, suggesting that we could see more fatalities in 2022 than in 2021.
This Sunday, November 20th, is World Day of Remembrance for victims of traffic crashes. The MA Vision Zero Coalition will be laying down yellow flowers at the Massachusetts state house, one blossom for each person killed or seriously injured in a traffic crash in 2022. The display will be out from 10 am through the rest of the day. There is no formal speaking program, but members of the Coalition will be available throughout the day for questions and statements. The following structures will be lit in yellow on Sunday night: Zakim Bridge, Longfellow Bridge, Burns Memorial Bridge, Fore River Bridge, Boston City Hall, and Government Center MBTA Station. Yellow is the color connected with victims of traffic violence.
Other advocates across the state are organizing vigils and actions in their towns and communities, including Springfield and Worcester, and they are part of many events taking place internationally as part of the World Day of Remembrance. For more information and a complete list of events, visit https://www.visionzerocoalition.org/wdr.
Additionally, to address this public health crisis, the Coalition is urging our legislators to take action that could save lives. They sent a letter to legislators demanding the passage of H.5103, An Act to reduce traffic fatalities — crucial legislation that could drastically improve traffic safety.
The Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition advocates for reducing traffic injuries and deaths across Massachusetts. The coalition includes community-based organizations, nonprofits, businesses, civic groups, and individuals representing communities across the state. visionzerocoalition.org/
