By Kim O'Leary
World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims is being observed in Kildare today, as it is reported that 41 people have been killed on the county's roads in the four years to 2017.
It is reported that 1,403 people in Kildare were injured in collisions in that period. Kildare County Council will join the RSA and Gardai in remembering those who have died on our roads.
To raise awareness of the day, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) held a special event for family members of those who were killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions at Smock Alley Theatre, on Tuesday, 13 November. Musician Christy Dignam performed at the event.
24,255 people have died since the recording of fatalities began in 1959 and 80,866 people have been seriously injured on Irish roads since the recording of serious injuries began in 1977 (up to 12 November 2018)*. To date in 2018 a total of 129 families, friends and communities have lost a loved one.
World Day of Remembrance provides an opportunity to draw the public’s attention to the impact of road crashes and the human cost involved.
The day is a reminder of the effect on the family of a person killed or injured on our roads, as well as on the emergency services who face the consequences of crashes on a daily basis.
This year the RSA will be joining forces with members of An Garda Síochána, Local County Councils, Emergency Services and victim support groups to mark the day and remember those who have died on our roads at services which will be held across the country.
World Day of Remembrance was first held in 1993 in the United Kingdom and organised since then by non-governmental organizations in a number of countries.
For more information visit rsa.ie
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