A family listens during the remembrance event. Photo: NDDOT

BISMARCK, N.D. (Prairie Public Radio) – Families and friends of people who died in car crashes came to the state Capitol in Bismarck Friday to observe the “World Day for Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.”

It was the first time North Dakota had hosted such a remembrance.

State Department of Transportation director Bill Panous.

Yvonne Nelson is an emergency medical technician in Lidgerwood. She was on duty the night in November, 2018, when her youngest son lost his life in a crash. Nelson says she will remember that night for the rest of her life. And she says her family agreed to do some special public service announcements, to support “Vision Zero” – the effort for the state to work toward a goal of zero fatalities.

Families were encouraged to bring shoes to a temporary memorial, to represent the shoes of their loved ones that are no longer filled.

North Dakotans can honor loved ones on the award-winning, virtual Crash Memorial Wall, which was built on the hope of preventing another death on North Dakota roads. Launched in 2015, the virtual wall contains 30 memorials.

Learn more about the Vision Zero strategy and its traffic safety campaigns at VisionZero.ND.gov.