The Government Delegation, through the Local Traffic Headquarters, has commemorated, one more year, the World Day in Remembrance of the Victims of Traffic Accidents, with the aim of raising public awareness about the personal and social impact caused by road violence.
So far in 2023, according to the provisional figures provided by the Local Head of Traffic, José Carlos Romero, there are 367 accidents with victims in the city, of which 16 have been seriously injured and 432 have been slightly injured but, fortunately, with zero deaths.
“Today’s act is an act to remember the victims of traffic accidents and it is also an appeal to the public authorities, to all kinds of institutions, to adopt more measures, to reduce accidents,” he said, emphasizing that “most of these accidents, if not practically all, are avoidable,” while recalling that most of them are suffered by people belonging to the vulnerable group and many of them are young.
The highest representative of the Government of Spain in our city, Sabrina Moh; together with the Lieutenant Colonel of the Civil Guard, Arturo Ortega; the Superior Chief of Police, José Antonio Togores; and the Superintendent of the Local Police, Miguel Ramos; the Territorial Director of the Imserso, Verónica Aznar; the Provincial Director of Education, Juan Ángel Berbel; in addition to area directors and workers of the Government Delegation, have surrendered to Romero, in the reading of this event.
A day, which is commemorated on the third Sunday of November each year, to remember the millions of dead and injured on the world’s roads, their families, friends and many others who are also affected by such accidents.
“Every year millions of victims of traffic accidents add to the current figure of more than 50 million deaths and hundreds of millions of injuries recorded since the first death on the road, sad ephemeris that last August celebrated its 125th anniversary,” said Romero in the reading of the institutional text.
Reduce accidents by 50%
A disaster, he said, that continues every day in all the countries of the world. “This is a real pandemic that mainly affects our vulnerable and our young people and that in addition to the trauma of injuries and grief also have a significant economic impact on our society,” he said.
Therefore, it has advanced that during the new decade of action 2021-2030 appointments such as today’s want to contribute to achieving the goal of reducing by 50% the number of deaths and serious injuries due to traffic accidents.
“Deaths and injuries on the roads are sudden, violent and traumatic events,” said Romero, who has indicated that their impact “is long-lasting and often permanent.” “The pain and anguish experienced by those affected is even greater because many of the victims are young, because many of the accidents could and should have been avoided and because the response of society in general to this problem is sometimes inadequate and inappropriate for the loss of life or quality of life,” he said.
Therefore, this day of commemoration aims to respond to the great need for victims of traffic accidents to publicly acknowledge their loss and suffering.
It has also become an important tool for governments and those working to prevent accidents or respond to their aftermath, as it offers the opportunity to demonstrate the enormous scope and tremendous impact of road deaths and injuries and the urgent need for action.
After reading the manifesto, the attendees, who carried posters that read ‘Remember, Support, Act’, have observed a minute of silence in memory and memory of all the victims of traffic accidents in Melilla, in Spain and around the world.