San Francisco remembers lives lost in traffic crashes in annual vigil

Pedestrian safety advocates and elected officials last week joined a vigil at Civic Center Plaza and San Francisco City Hall in remembering the lives lost in traffic crashes this year and the hundreds of those who were severely injured in a crash.

The 9th annual World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims took place Sunday, Nov. 20, hosted by Walk San Francisco and San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets. Families and advocates held photos of crash victims and flowers while walking silently around Civic Center Plaza.

From there, they walked to City Hall and placed flowers and candles on the steps of City Hall.

Before the solemn walk, city leaders, transit officials and those affected by traffic crashes, spoke about how they plan to make The City’s streets safer.

City data shows that 30 people have died in a traffic crash so far in 2022. A new dashboard has recently surfaced on The City’s Vision Zero website that provides more information about each crash that occurred so far this year. City departments have promised to post information within two weeks of a fatal traffic crash.

Below is a series of photos taken on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022. All photos by Jerold Chinn.

Dr. Christian Rose, an emergency room physician, speaks at the 9th annual World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

Families, pedestrian safety advocates and city elected officials walk in silence to remember victims of traffic crashes in San Francisco.

Families, pedestrian safety advocates and city elected officials walk in silence to remember victims of traffic crashes as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims vigil.

Families, pedestrian safety advocates and city elected officials walk in silence to remember victims of traffic crashes as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims vigil.

Families, pedestrian safety advocates and city elected officials place flowers on the steps of San Francisco City Hall as part of a World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims vigil.

Flowers and candles on the steps of San Francisco City Hall for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims vigil.

Families, pedestrian safety advocates and city elected officials place flowers on the steps of San Francisco City Hall as part of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims vigil.