The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims was commemorated at Woronora Memorial Park’s special area called “Our Peaceful Place” on Sunday.
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An initiative of the United Nations, 'The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims' (WDR) is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year.
The day remembers the many millions killed and injured on the world’s roads, together with their families, friends and many others who are also affected.
This special Remembrance Day is intended to respond to the need of road crash victims for public recognition of their loss and suffering.
It is also a Day where the community thanks emergency services and reflects on burden and cost of road trauma.
“Road deaths and injuries are sudden, violent, traumatic events,” Woronora Memorial Park chief executive officer Graham Boyd said.
“Their impact is long-lasting, often permanent.
“Each year, millions of newly injured and bereaved people from every corner of the world are added to the countless millions who already suffer.
“The grief and distress experienced by this huge number of people is all the greater because many of the victims are young, because many of the crashes could and should have been prevented and because governments’ and society’s response to road death and injury and to bereaved and injured victims is often inadequate.”
Part of the service included an address by Sutherland Local Area Command’s Superintendent Julian Griffiths.
Noting that the year is not yet over, the road toll for 2017, as of last week, has seen 340 people die on NSW roads.
Locally five people have died in accidents in the Sutherland Shire during 2017. With still six weeks until the end of 2017.
Superintendent Griffiths said that the total road toll for NSW in 2016 (380) is likely to be reached again.
“Approximately 20 per cent of all fatal accidents have linkages with illicit drugs including Ice, other forms of Methamphetamine and Cannabis the most popular,” Superintendent Griffiths said.
“Since introduction of Random Drug Testing in NSW over last 12 months for these illicit drugs detected in fatal accidents, approximately one in 10 tests are positive compared with random breath testing for alcohol which currently has a ratio of approximately one in every 305 being positive for alcohol.
“Road trauma is currently the ninth highest cause of death worldwide and is projected to be the fifth leading cause of death worldwide by 2030.”
The Remembrance Day was held at Woronora Memorial Park’s special area ‘Our Peaceful Place’ which was opened on December 7, 2014 and is dedicated to the memory of loved ones lost through road trauma and acknowledges the work of emergency service personnel in such tragic circumstances.
The area came about after the Enough is Enough Anti Violence Movement Inc.founder and chief executive officer Ken Marslew met with Woronora Memorial Park chief executive officer Graham Boyd in early 2014 and formed the concept to create this special place of reflection.
