15th of November 2026

The day is to remember those who have died in traffic, to think about the responsibility of each person in traffic, but not least to thank the first responders who provide help and rescue. This time, special attention is paid to young people in traffic.

World Day of Remembrance 2025

The United Nations has dedicated the third Sunday of November to the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

This year, a memorial service will be held at 14:00, and the teams of the National Disaster Response Service and other emergency responders will be organizing symbolic ceremonies around the country. All are welcome.

This year’s commemoration day is Sunday 15th November.

In addition to being a day of remembrance, it has become customary in Iceland to dedicate the day to education and prevention focused on a specific risk factor that has contributed to fatal accidents. Each year there are serious and fatal traffic accidents where inexperience, youthful self confidence, dangerous attitudes and risky behaviour are a leading factor. Young drivers are at more risk than others in traffic which is why we focus on that road user group this year.

World Day of Remembrance is supported by the Icelandic Transportation Authority, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Icelandic National Safety Board, the National Disaster Response Association, Landsbjörg, the Emergency Response Team, the Police and the Icelandic Road Administration.

World Day of Remembrance Schedule

13:45 – Coast Guard helicopter lands – responders take position.
Photo shoot – responders with the President in front of the Coast Guard vehicle and helicopter.
14:00 – Opening remarks – Ingilín Kristmannsdóttir, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure.
14:05 – President of Iceland Halla Tómasdóttir delivers an address.
14:10 – The President of Iceland leads a minute of silence.
14:11 – Minister of Infrastructure Eyjólfur Ármannsson delivers an address.
14:16 – The speaker of the day discusses his experience.
14:23 – The Hamrahlíð High School Choir performs the song of the day, I Think of Angels by KK.
14:28 – Formal ceremony ends – Ingilín Kristmannsdóttir, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure. Offer coffee, cocoa and so on.
14:30 – The President of Iceland presents refreshments and a certificate of appreciation to the staff of the emergency room of the National Hospital.

The Icelandic radio stations will be joined in the playback of When I think of angels.

The song I Think of Angels has become a landmark song of World Day of Remembrance in Iceland. It is written by KK (Kristján Kristjánsson) and sung by his sister Ellen. Kristján wrote the song in memory of their sister who died in a traffic accident in the United States in 1992.

It is planned that all radio stations in the country with live broadcasts will join together to play the same song at 14:00 on World Day of Remembrance. In addition a choir will sing the song at the ceremony in Reykjavík.

Why World Day of Remembrance?

Around 3,600 people die and hundreds of thousands are injured in traffic around the world every day. That's about 1.3 million a year.

Since the first fatal accident was registered in Iceland on 25 August 1915, a total of 1643 people have died in traffic (20. October 2026). More people are seriously injured, facing trauma, grief and sorrow as a result.

We hope that people will show appropriate compassion on this day and do their utmost to ensure their own safety and responsibility in traffic.