[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 18150-18151]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         THE WORLD DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR ROAD TRAFFIC VICTIMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of 
the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, which will be 
observed on Sunday, November 20, 2011. I offer my thoughts and prayers 
to all those who have lost loved ones to road crashes. All over the 
world, in every country and locality, traffic accidents remain an 
ongoing peril and a source of preventable tragedy. As we embark on the 
Decade of Action for Road Safety, we should pause to remember who it is 
that we are fighting for.
  Road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and 
injure or disable as many as 50 million more. The leading cause of 
death throughout the world for people ages 10 to 29 is not disease or 
war, but road crashes. Even today, we can expect that 1,000 people 
under the age of 25 will die on the world's roads.
  These numbers are dramatically increasing and place particular strain 
on developing nations, where crash rates are highest. In developing 
countries, road crashes have a dramatic impact on their fragile 
economies, costing an estimated $100 billion and often exceeding the 
total amount received by these countries in development assistance. 
Furthermore, road crashes affect first responder services, health care 
services, and health insurance services, as many victims require 
extensive, and expensive, critical care, as well as follow-up care and 
rehabilitation.
  In October 2005, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a 
resolution which calls for governments to mark the third Sunday in 
November each year as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic 
Victims. The day was created as a means to give recognition both to 
victims of road traffic crashes and to the plight of their relatives 
who must cope with the emotional and practical consequences of these 
tragic events.
  This Day of Remembrance also calls attention to the necessary 
policies needed to improve transportation management, infrastructure, 
vehicle safety, education, and post-crash care and rehabilitation. Here 
in the United States it is of the utmost importance that we continue to 
support public policies designed to reduce key risk factors like 
speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, and the failure of many 
Americans to use seat belts, child restraints, and other safety 
devices.
  The Decade of Action for Road Safety has not been declared to merely 
raise awareness, but also to take action. We all use roads, cars, 
buses, and bicycles every day. It is easy to take our safety for 
granted. But too many tragedies remind us that road fatalities and 
injuries have an enormous impact on our lives. As Americans travel the 
world more and more and as our global society grows ever more close-
knit, the pressing importance of our observance of the World Day of 
Remembrance only grows as well.

[[Page 18151]]

  Mr. Speaker, no one should die because of entirely preventable 
traffic accidents. We must do everything we can to raise awareness and 
address the underlying causes. On this year's Day of Remembrance, let 
us pay extra attention to ways we can make the world a safer place.

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