Three services have been held to remember those who have died in road traffic accidents over the past year.
Ripon Cathedral, Halifax Minster and Leeds Minster all held Roadpeace ‘Oakleaf’ services last Sunday 19 November , the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
The annual services of remembrance for those who have died in road accidents focus on both the overall scale and the individual devastation caused by road deaths and injuries and the impact upon families and communities around the world. They are supported by RoadPeace, the UK's leading charity supporting people who are bereaved or injured as a result of a road crash.
In the UK there were 1710 road deaths in the year to June, and a total of 27,130 people killed or seriously injured in that period. During the same period in North Yorkshire, police reported 39 fatalities, and in West Yorkshire, 41 deaths.
Many more have to cope with bereavement or the effects of injury and it was many of those who came to the three services across the diocese. each service had representatives from the emergency services taking part.
At Ripon Cathedral , relatives of those killed wrote the names of their loved ones on paper oak leaves, before these were placed on the altar during the service for prayer. Amanda Oliver, the Assistant Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police spoke of the work of the emergency services, Carl Boasman, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Area Manager, gave a reading and the Principal Chaplain to North Yorkshire Police, the Revd Robert Williamson gave the Address. Also present was the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Barry Dodd, the Mayors of Ripon and Harrogate as well as community representatives and members of all the emergency services.
In the introductory words to the service, Assistant Chief Constable, Amanda Oliver said, “We have come here today to raise awareness of the epidemic scale of road traffic deaths and injuries and the potential risk to all who use our roads. We understand only too well the devastating impact of road traffic crashes on families and communities and we seek to use this experience in promoting road safety awareness and the continuing need for care and support for the bereaved and injured.”