A World Day of Remembrance for road traffic victims will be celebrated with a remembrance service in Belvedere House and Gardens, Mullingar on Sunday November 18.
The service aims to remember loved ones who have died on the roads, to support bereaved families and injured people, and to honour the emergency services.
The outdoor event will include a tree-planting and candle-lighting ceremony, and you are invited to bring along a photo of your lost loved one.
Almost 3,500 people die every day on roads worldwide, while tens of thousands more are injured. Road accidents have become the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 29.
Mullingar and the greater community of Westmeath has been left devastated by recent road deaths.
The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, which began in May this year, has the goal of saving five million lives. A global plan for the decade provides a framework for governments, civil society, and the private sector to work together to improve road management; upgrade the safety of roads and vehicles, and educate drivers, passengers, and pedestrians on safe behaviour.
The plan focuses on the big risks, including speeding, drinking and driving, inattention while using mobile devices, and failing to use seat-belts, helmets, and child restraints. The global plan also encompasses care for victims, including their rescue, treatment, and long-term rehabilitation, and calls for thorough crash investigations to prevent further deaths and injuries.
The remembrance service takes pace at Belvedere House and Gardens at 4pn m on Sunday November 18.
