THE dinner plates were laid down and the knives and forks were set, but there was nobody to take their seat at the table.
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In an eerie reminder of the pain road deaths wreak on families, 139 empty dinner setting were laid down in the Bridge Mall yesterday, representing the people who have died on regional Victoria’s roads this year.
The memorial, known as A Place To Remember, was also duplicated in Melbourne, where 257 places were set along Southbank to represent the road deaths throughout Victoria.
In Ballarat, it was set up until 8pm, with visitors and loved ones able to leave written tributes or candles in memory of those who had died. It was organised by the state government and the Transport Accident Commission.
Premier Ted Baillieu said memorials aimed to highlight the impact of road deaths.
“I urge Victorians to visit the site to reflect on those who won’t be celebrating this Christmas and to make their own personal commitment to be safe on the roads this holiday season.”