Every year, the World Day of Remembrance offers us a time to pause, reflect, and act – and renew our commitment to making our roads safer.

Here in Massachusetts, MassBike and our partners with the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition and Families for Safe Streets invited our communities to join in that commitment. We all feel the impact of the dangers of traffic  – so far in 2025, more than 2,000 lives have been lost or persons seriously injured in traffic crashes in Massachusetts — and that doesn’t include the countless friends, family members and loved ones who continue to feel the ripple effects.

In memory of those lost, and in support of those who remain through pursuing legislative work, MassBike  supported a series of events around the state

Below is an overview of the events across the state — and how you can be part of the push to eliminate fatal crashes in Massachusetts.

On Wednesday 11/12, MassBike led our coalition partners in a Day of Action at the Massachusetts State House. Over a dozen advocates met at the Massachusetts State House to fan out around the building to deliver literature describing the World Day of Remembrance and urging lawmakers to swiftly pass key legislation to make our roads safer, including S.2344 and H.3754, An Act relative to traffic regulation using road safety cameras. Advocates, survivors and community members met with their elected representatives, and over the course of the day hit all 200 offices, raising awareness about traffic-violence, honoring victims, and advocating for meaningful change on our roads.

On Saturday 11/15, community members in the Merrimack Valley gathered at the McGovern Transportation Center, led by the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, to create posters, flags and other sentimental signage that call for safer roads. These flags were brought to the following day’s events in Boston as part of the Ride for Your Life, and formed the backdrop of the rally in front of the state house.  was  remember those harmed or killed by road traffic and to emphasize local efforts for safer streets.

(photo credit: Donrick Pond)

On Sunday 11/16, over 250 community members gathered in Cambridge to ride in a solemn Ride for Your Life bicycle ride, led by the Boston Cyclists Union. We packed the streets as we traveled to the Boston Common where we met up with advocates from WalkMassachusetts and the Families for Safe Streets Massachusetts chapter to hear from speakers including family members of victims, advocacy leaders, and elected officials who are championing our legislative work.

(photo credit: Donrick Pond)

Also on Sunday, in Springfield, advocates from WalkBike Springfield hosted a vigil at Springfield Public Library, to speak the names of those killed on Springfield’s roads, some of the most deadly in the state. This was a quieter, reflective moment in a community space, 

On the South Coast, members of the South Coast Bikeway Alliance coordinated six distinct actions to draw attention to the dangers in and around New Bedford, where a dozen people lost their lives in traffic crashes this year. Advocates gathered in Taunton, New Bedford, East Fairhaven, Padanaram, and Acushnet, and then traveled to meet collectively on Pope’s Island to give voice and presence to those victims.

 In Worcester, WalkBike Worcester led a short march from a recent crash site to Peace Park for a vigil. Speakers included the Executive Director of the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network Center, the Worcester Youth Poet Laureate, the Director of the Worcester Division of Public Health, and a crash survivor. 

The following day, On Monday 11/17, neighbors and advocates from Brockton Bikes gathered at Brockton City Hall to march to a site of a crash, carrying signs and a bull horn, to honor victims by nailing up “ghost shoes” that represent members of the Brockton community killed in crashes. The marchers made their way to a City Council Meeting to immediately bring the asks to their elected officials.

The following week, advocates in Berkshire County coordinated a speaking engagement at a Pittsfield City Council hearing to highlight the VisionZero Initiative, and share insights from a recent walk audit held at the city of a fatal pedestrian crash.

MassBike also supported events in Connecticut, where members of Watch for Me CT co-sponsored an event with the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Capitol Region Council of Governments (COG) in Hartford to host the third annual World Day of Remembrance in Walnut Hill Park in New Britain. The event focused on the stories of loss, a roll call of pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, words from faith leaders and first responders, and state officials pointing to changes on our roads that will decrease unnecessary deaths.

All these events were supported financially by the Charlie Proctor Memorial Fund, created in the wake of the death of Charlie who was killed by a driver in Arlington MA in 2020. We are honored to preserve Charlie’s memory and put energy toward advocacy throughout  Massachusetts and beyond to prevent needless tragedies on our roads.

Why Your Participation Matters

When communities come together in remembrance, powerful things happen. We honor the memory of those whose lives were cut short or dramatically changed because of traffic crashes. Their loss is real — their families, friends and communities continue to feel it. In this effort, MassBike is spearheading the Families for Safe Streets Massachusetts Chapter, a resource for people impacted by traffic violence to come together and put their energies toward grieving, healing, and action.

Collectively, through our actions at these events, we reaffirm that road safety is not simply “accidents happen” — but that we can choose safer streets, safer design, safer behavior. The message of the World Day of Remembrance is not fatalistic: it is hopeful and action-oriented. These events afford us the energies we need to move forward, and we gather as a community to reflect upon those we’ve lost and commit ourselves to improving our roads.”

Whether you join one of the scheduled events or host a moment of remembrance in your own circle, your presence helps boost the visibility of this issue and strengthens the call for change.

How You Can Get Involved

• Download the MVZC’s WDoR 2025 Toolkit for tips on organizing your own action (for example: a moment of silence, a neighborhood ride/walk, a vigil, or social-media tribute). visionzerocoalition.org
  
  
• Invite friends, colleagues, neighbors, and elected officials to join you. Traffic violence impacts everyone, and we all need to work together to collectively build a culture to stop these tragedies.

• Contact your elected officials to pass legislation this session that will make our roads safer, including  S.2344 and H.3754, An Act relative to traffic regulation using road safety cameras. For more information on our legislative work, please keep in touch.
  
  
• Share your experience on social media using hashtags like #WDoR2025, #CrashNotAccident, #SafetyOverSpeed, and #VisionZero to raise awareness beyond your local community. visionzerocoalition.org
  
  
• If you or someone you know has been impacted by traffic violence, please be in touch and connect with the resources provided by Families for Safe Streets Massachusetts Chapter.
  
  

On this World Day of Remembrance, let us hold in our hearts the lives lost, the futures forever altered, and the communities changed forever. And let us transform that remembrance into renewed energy for safer roads, more respectful transportation culture, and the shared responsibility of communities to protect each other.