118 people died on Norwegian roads last year. There are 38 more than the previous year, according to preliminary figures from the Norwegian Road Administration.
– It has been a very sad and difficult year for everyone who has worked with traffic and traffic safety, Roads Director Ingrid Dahl Hoveland said in her speech.
It is the twenty-ninth time that the marks have been made. A candle was lit in memory of each of the 118 who lost their lives, and a light was displayed along the way.
The speed has been reduced from 110 to 30 km/h to make room for reflection and to remind us that not everyone is fortunate enough to reach their loved ones.
Skjee Church will shine light on and remember those who lost their lives to vegans in Vestfold and Telemark in 2022.
Photo: Håkon Lie/NRK
Grief can be heavy
Minister for Justice and Emergency Situations Emily Inger Mehl led the torch procession to Skjee Church in Stokke.
– Mehl said that behind the statistics there are still people who have experienced unimaginable loss.
Grief can be so heavy that it is impossible to bear, she said, but it can be comforting to lean on each other when it is most painful.
She pointed out that there are many reasons for traffic accidents, and that sometimes things happen outside our control. But she also pointed out things that can reduce risk, such as intoxication, high speed, and carelessness.
– We must all do what we can so that the next drive is safe. The Minister of Justice said, both from our side and those around us who we are happy with.
The area was lost in a traffic accident
Henrik Taraldlien died in a traffic accident in Tokke
Photo: private
Three friends at a party, with alcohol in their blood, get into a car, drive off by surprise, and crash into a tree. Henrik dies in the back seat, and his companions are later convicted of negligent homicide.
– It is heavy and difficult to think that he got into a car with a driver who was not sober. But I want to use my voice to prevent that, so that no one else has to go through what we did.
Leila Carlsen Taraldlin admits that she can do nothing about the accident. But he is involved in a project started in the home municipality after the accident to focus on high speed and drink driving.
It means an incredible amount to me to be involved in an event like this, to be able to share my experiences and get to know other relatives who have gone through the same experience.
Leila Carlsen Taraldlin lost her son Henrik in a traffic accident in Toke on October 31, 2020.
Photo: Veronica Westhrin/NRK
A meeting point for like-minded people
Marking is a collaboration between Vestfold District Council, Telemark, the Diocese of Tønsberg, the Personal Injury Association LTN and Trygg Trafikk.
Tor Egil Syvertsen is a consultant at Trygg Trafikk Vestfold and Telemark. He says there are relatives who come here year after year.
– They have gained a meeting point and established contacts with whom they can talk about the same things with like-minded people who have experienced losing someone in traffic.
He says there are also emergency personnel from the Ambulance Service, Fire Service and Police who have been there and have seen the accidents up close and need to work on them.
– And everyone is here, says Syvertsen.
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