Road traffic victims to be remembered on November 17

ARRIVE ALIVE is hosting the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2024 on November 17.

The theme of this year's commemoration is That Day. It takes people back to that day "when traffic collisions stopped or changed the course of the victim’s lives forever."

The road-safety NGO Arrive Alive, in a news release on November 12, explained, "Each victim has her/his own story of that day, which their relatives, friends and acquaintances carry in their memory. The emotional charge of that day is so strong that it remains in our memory forever. Therefore, on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2024, we remember the stories of 'that day.'"

The event kicks off at 6 am with three long-distance cycling rides. In east Trinidad – Larry Gomes Stadium, Malabar to Queen's Park Savannah; central Trinidad – National Cycling Centre, Couva to Queen's Park Savannah; and west Trinidad – Queen's Park Savannah to Piarco BWIA Boulevard, Piarco.

There will also be a Savannah one-lap walk, run and cycling ride at 7 am.

Arrive Alive said, "Each ride and run will have both police and ambulance escorts for your safety."

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan will be the feature speaker. Permanent Secretary Sonia Francis-Yearwood will participate in the one lap, president of Arrive Alive Sharon Inglefield told Newsday in a phone interview on November 13.

She said unfortunately, attendance at this annual memorial has been dwindling.

Arrive Alive appealed to people to come together and enjoy its Traffic Village booths with live demonstrations, kids' zone with bouncy castle and face painting and our zone filled with refreshments, free doubles and giveaways.

Inglefield said there will be free eye testing to make sure drivers have proper vision.

Arrive Alive is extending an open invitation to schools, students, parents and staff to attend the event.

The organisation has been working with the Ministry of Education and has visited more than 150 schools as part of its school road safety programme.

It said, "We continue our drive to educate the youth of the nation with our open invitation to be part of this annual event. "

While Arrive Alive will mark its 20th anniversary on December 31, Inglefield said it is too busy trying to achieve its vision and mission to mark this milestone with a celebration.

Road users, she said, are the number one concern.

Inglefield wanted to remind drivers that the speed limit posted along roads is the recommended maximum and not the speed they should be going at. She lamented that TT drivers do not slow down and adapt speed to road conditions, like during rain.

Inglefield said there has been a six per cent rise in road fatalities this year. On November 7, TT recorded its 95th road fatality, compared to 90 on the same date last year.

Also, there has been a 54 per cent increase in pedestrian deaths in 2024, Inglefield said.

"People walking to work or market are dying on the nation's roadways. We must protect vulnerable road users by providing safe infrastructure."

For more information visit arrivealivett.com or contact Arrive Alive at (868) 283.1766 & (868) 675-LIVE (5483) or e-mail contact@arrivealivett.com

About World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

THE World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims takes place on the third Sunday in November every year.

It is an acknowledgment of victims of road traffic crashes and their families.

Started by the British road crash victim charity RoadPeace in 1993, it was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2005.

Its objectives are to provide a platform for road traffic victims and their families to:

1. Remember all those killed and seriously injured on the roads;
2. Acknowledge the crucial work of the emergency services;
3. Draw attention to the generally trivial legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries and advocate for an appropriately serious response;
4. Advocate for better support for road traffic victims and victim families;
5. Promote evidence-based actions to prevent and eventually stop further road-traffic deaths and injuries.