About 150 people, including many teenagers, gathered at the botanic gardens on Sunday afternoon for the World Day of Remembrance for Road Trauma Victims.

A floral tribute was laid on the pond to remember those killed.

Singer Jemma Beech, of Yanderra, performed at the ceremony, which is an annual United Nations World Health Organisation initiative.

Eve Langham, of Buxton, is on the organising committee and said this year's ceremony had the best attendance so far.

``We were really encouraged by the amount of young people that attended,'' she said. ``They have the grief of losing their friends.

``We've got some really bad role models every day I see it on our roads. Adults don't observe the speed limit and they should know better.''

Mrs Langham said local road deaths had become an epidemic.

``There's always someone getting killed on our roads.

``Each year, we acknowledge a different group that's affected ... and one of the big objectives is to make people realise there are still people being killed on our roads.''

Emergency service workers and doctors and nurses have been acknowledged at the event in the past two years, and carers were recognised at this year's ceremony with a plaque.

``There are quite a lot of people who can relate to that,'' Mrs Langham said. ``Their [the carers'] lives have changed and they weren't even in the crash.''

Mrs Langham said that although the service was sad it inspired positive change: Sutherland and Gosford started their own remembrance days following Picton's.

She thanked the event sponsors, councillor Judy Hannan who was MC, the guest speakers and John Churchill, who read out his poem, The Winds of Change.

If you would like to join the organising committee next year, contact Eve on 0408645218.