As 2008 draws to a close, a harsh reality will set in for the families of more than 40,000 U.S. residents.

If the final data prove 2008 to be a typical year, this is the number of individuals who will have lost their lives in traffic crashes this year in the United States. This is the number of families that will gather for holiday celebrations with a loved one missing from the table.

Too often, the law enforcement community forgets that each person in that number represents a tragedy within a family. The people behind these numbers are fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters who will not be at this year’s family gathering.