People killed in Philly traffic crashes were honored on World Day of Remembrance

In a small park in North Philadelphia on Sunday, community members, road safety advocates, elected officials, and families of fatal roadway crash victims gathered to remember the 102 people they said have been killed in traffic collisions in the city this year.

The ceremony was part of World Day of Remembrance and held at Butler Triangle, also known as Fish Park, where Broad Street and Erie and Germantown Avenues converge on the border of Tioga and Nicetown. Organizers, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, planted yellow flags with the names of those killed in traffic accidents this year. They also displayed pictures of some of the victims.

According to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, 42,915 people lost their lives in the United States in roadway crashes in 2021, the highest number of roadway deaths in 16 years. That was a 10.5% increase from 2020 and the largest annual percentage increase in the history of the nation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, started in 1975, according to the coalition.

In addition to recalling victims, those in attendance also vowed to keep working to press for more infrastructure and legislative changes to prevent future fatalities.