Not An Accident Day
3rd Monday in OctoberA Nationwide Day of Remembrance, Education, and Action
Not An Accident Day is an annual observance established by the Not An Accident Campaign and open to individuals, families, organizations, and communities across the country.
The day is dedicated to people whose deaths resulted from another person’s unlawful, reckless, or intentional conduct but were classified or commonly described as “accidents.” It calls for complete investigations, evidence-based death classifications, responsible public policy, and official records that accurately reflect the established facts.
The first Not An Accident Day will be observed on October 19, 2026. It will take place annually on the third Monday in October.
Why the Word Accident Matters
The word “accident” can suggest that no one was responsible and that nothing could have prevented the death. When evidence establishes that another person’s unlawful, reckless, or intentional conduct caused or contributed to a death, that label can omit critical circumstances and create an official record that does not fully reflect the facts.
This issue is especially important in deaths involving unlawfully provided drugs, impaired driving, reckless driving, and other conduct that places human life at risk.
These cases do not all involve the same circumstances, and they should not automatically receive the same classification. Each death deserves an individual determination based on a complete investigation and all available evidence.
Understanding Death Classification
Cause of death identifies the injury, disease, or poisoning that resulted in death. Manner of death describes the circumstances in which the death occurred and is generally classified as natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined.
A homicide classification on a death certificate is a medicolegal determination. It does not, by itself, establish criminal guilt. Criminal responsibility is determined separately through the justice system.
Medical examiners and coroners rely on autopsy findings, toxicology results, investigative reports, witness statements, law enforcement information, and other evidence when determining cause and manner of death. A complete investigation is therefore essential to an accurate classification.
The actions of everyone involved must be examined. The classification should reflect the complete evidence rather than assumptions, outdated practices, or an automatic default to “accident.”
Why Accurate Records Matter
Death certificates are more than paperwork. The information they contain contributes to mortality statistics, public health research, prevention strategies, public safety policies, and decisions about where attention and resources are needed.
When deaths are classified without fully considering the conduct of others, patterns may remain hidden, resources may be misdirected, and opportunities to prevent future deaths may be lost.
Accurate words create accurate records. Accurate records support informed policies, meaningful prevention, and accountability.
What Not An Accident Day Calls For
Not An Accident Day calls for:
- Thorough and timely investigations
- Consistent classification standards based on evidence
- Greater cooperation among law enforcement, prosecutors, coroners, medical examiners, and public health agencies
- Consideration of new evidence and judicial findings when reviewing death records
- Updated policies that reflect present-day crimes and circumstances
- Official records that accurately document how and why people died
Not An Accident Day is not about changing the facts to obtain a preferred classification.
It is about ensuring that the classification accurately reflects the facts.
Remembering the People Behind the Records
Every statistic represents a person whose life mattered. Every death leaves behind family members, friends, and communities that deserve truthful answers.
On Not An Accident Day, we remember those whose deaths have been minimized by an incomplete investigation, an inaccurate classification, or the routine use of the word “accident.” We encourage families to share their loved ones’ stories and help the public understand why the circumstances surrounding a death matter.
They were not statistics. Their deaths were not simply accidents.
How to Participate
Individuals, families, advocacy organizations, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, coroners, medical examiners, public health professionals, policymakers, educators, and community leaders are invited to participate.
You can:
- Share the story of a victim with the family’s permission
- Publish educational information about cause and manner of death
- Encourage local officials to review their investigative and classification practices
- Hold a community discussion, educational program, or remembrance event
- Contact policymakers about meaningful reforms
- Share Not An Accident Day materials on social media
Join Us
Join us as we remember victims, support families, educate the public, and encourage institutions to examine whether their policies and practices accurately reflect the facts surrounding preventable deaths.
Investigation matters. Classification matters. Accountability matters. Truth matters.