You've all seen them: makeshift highway memorials, those small crosses (or occasionally a Star of David) surrounded by flowers and sometimes memorabilia, sitting next to a highway where someone was killed in an auto accident. (The memorial to the left happens to be from Australia, in memory of Jason and Darryl Krikke, race car drivers killed in an ordinary road accident.)
I think highway memorials are a great idea--they remind you just how deadly the road can be and tell you to SLOW THE FRICK DOWN!
Indeed, I'd like to see them institutionalized by state and federal highway authorities. They could authorize (with a family's permission) the erection at the site of any highway fatality, of a standard marker with the name (or names) of those who were killed.
I have in mind something tasteful and just big enough to notice without being too big or obtrusive. In some particularly dangerous intersections and stretches of road you might end up with quite a few of these morbid reminders, but that's just the point: motorists would instantly know "wow, this is a really dangerous place--a lot of people have already died here. Maybe, just maybe, for a moment I should stop driving like an asshole."
Today's Washington Post has a little story about Maryland's efforts to REMOVE at least some of the makeshift highway tributes that have appeared along that state's particularly dangerous highways (as best I can tell, they must teach tailgating in Maryland driving schools).
See http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/01/AR2006050101628.html?sub=AR
Maryland officials worry that the makeshift tributes are distrations that will cause accidents (of course, they cite no DATA in support of that supposition).
Maryland also worries that with 600-650 traffic fatalities each year, they "couldn't possibly give each family the right to memorialize the death" of their loved ones.
Well, I say why not? People could use the reminder--maybe with some 45,000 new memorials each year along our nation's highways, people will start to take safety more seriously, will slow down, etc. etc.
At the very least, those who fail to take heed will get their own personal opportunity to create their own little memorial.
3 comments:
I agree that roadside memorials are a reminder of how short life is....and to "slow down!" ...They intrigue me...each memorial you see is/was a life...a story..that person there memorialized had a mother...a father...a family...and their life ended right there at that point....it's a reminder that life is short...and you need to slow down...and enjoy the beauty...."don't sweat the small stuff"...and don't take life for granted..thanks for posting...
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Sharon from Australia said...
I really think that these memorial crosses on the side of the road are a very sad but good reminder that roads are dangerous. I you have ever driven from Auckland (NZ) thru to Hamilton (NZ) there is lots of memorial sites some have as many as 7 crosses in one spot. It is a reminder to stay alert and safe.
I have lost a 17year old daughter 2 yrs ago (my husband fell asleep at the wheel) I have actually put on the back window of my car
"Shalisha wqas our 17 year old daughter who on March 15th 2008 became the 17th statistic on the qld roads, please drive carefully and consider others.
I have had lots of people thank me for that sign and it is amazing if a person drives too close to the back of my vehicle then read it, they back right off. even teenagers.
If you have lost someone as a result of a accident why don't you
do the same as I have done.
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