Moment of silence for victims of Flemish road accidents

“In traffic, one second can be decisive,” said Sofie Hoenkamp, spokesperson for Rondpunt.  “In 2013, 384 of those seconds marked the end of 384 lives. This action is intended not only to remember the victims but also to make drivers aware, so that perhaps next year we won’t have to stand still for so long.”

During the event, while children read out their wishes for safer roads, Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts, Edegem mayor Koen Metsu and members of the scouts handed out forget-me-nots to waiting motorists.

“More people died on the roads in 2013 than there were days in the year,” Weyts said later. “On each occasion, the world stood still for one family, one class, one group of friends. It’s important, too, for us to stop and think and for road users to keep remembering.” He also suggested an insurance discount for drivers who take additional lessons.

At the same time, the Belgian Institute for Road Safety called for more attention to be paid to road safety, pointing out that the federal government’s targets look like being unattainable. In 2010, the government pledged to reduce by half the number of fatalities in the country by 2020. That would mean a maximum of 420 deaths a year. Last year the national figure was still at 724, according to traffic expert Koen Peeters of the institute.

“Since 2010, there has been a reduction in the number of deaths,” he said. “Unfortunately, in the most recent years there has also been a slowing down of that reduction.”