403:
431:
462:(Caltrans) to place and maintain memorial signs along state highways that read "Please Don't Drink and Drive" followed by "In Memory of {victim's name}." Caltrans places signs at the request of victims' relatives when there is a fatality as a result of an alcohol or drug-impaired driver. The signs are to remain in place for a period of seven years. The department shall charge the requesting party a fee to cover the department's cost in designing, constructing, placing, and maintaining that sign, and the department's costs in administering this section.
312:
323:, the practice of erecting roadside memorials has recently generated a media debate about the danger these memorials may pose to other road users and to people erecting them in unsafe places. This debate has been sparked by accounts of dangerous actions, such as when an adult crosses a main road with a child to place a tribute. Some jurisdictions already enforce local regulations, and police officials and local councilors have suggested that uniform rules be introduced across the country. For example, according to the
340:
507:
419:
283:
135:
38:
396:, going back to the roots of the tradition, and also marked the graves of people who died while traveling. A descanso memorial may be decorated especially for the holidays, and for significant anniversaries in the person's life. A descanso memorial for a child may be decorated with special toys, even toy vignettes of family life, and votive candles may be placed there on special nights.
193:
1138:
253:
While car-crash victims are rarely so well known, something of the same sort of impulse to make a public display of emotion at the site of a tragedy may be partly responsible for the growing popularity of roadside memorials. The broad phenomenon of creating improvised and temporary memorials after
302:
of flowers. There are also usually fresh flowers regularly placed by the cross if the relatives of the person who died live close enough to look after the memorial. Sometimes
Ukrainian roadside memorials can be more elaborate, including a small granite or marble gravestone and/or a picture of the
380:
in
Spanish, and wherever they set the coffin down, a cross would be placed there in memory of the event. The modern practice of roadside shrines commemorate the last place a person was alive before receiving fatal injuries, even if they should actually die in a hospital after the crash.
373:
has its roots with the early
Mexican settlers of the south-western United States, and are common in areas with large Hispanic populations. Formerly, in funerary processions where a group would proceed from a church to a graveyard carrying a coffin, the bearers would take a rest, or
450:
crews undertaking new construction are not required to protect them, but usually either avoid altering them, or otherwise place them as close to where they originally were as possible once construction has been completed as a courtesy.
230:
Historically, roadside memorials were personal memorials, but there is a modern trend toward public memorials of increasingly large size. Typically many roadside memorials, over time, lack proper maintenance.
771:
162:, which marks where a body is laid, the memorial marks the last place on earth where a person was alive – although in the past travelers were, out of necessity, often buried where they fell.
315:
A tribute at a North London railway station. The message reads: "You collapsed one month ago here at the station died 13 days later. RIP Tracey your son is doing well. X Love and miss you loads"
961:
254:
traumatic death (accidents, murder, disasters etc.) has become popular since the 1980s. Because of their non-institutionalized character they are generically coined as grassroots memorials.
165:
Usually the memorial is created and maintained by family members or friends of the person who died. A common type of memorial is simply a bunch of flowers, real or plastic, taped to
534:
as a memorial along a public highway can be seen as an illegal endorsement of religion and has been challenged in a growing number of lawsuits by secular groups concerned about the
223:
began using white crosses to mark the site of fatal car accidents. This practice was continued by families of road-crash victims after it had been abandoned by the police. The
645:
499:, roadside memorials are illegal per the Clear Zone Act for safety reasons. As an alternative to roadside memorials, the Delaware Highway Memorial Garden located at the
823:
933:
1248:
215:
But apart from their personal significance, these memorials also serve as a reminder and warning to other road users of the dangers of driving, and to encourage
1279:
851:
503:
consists of a path with bricks bearing the names of people who died along roads in
Delaware. Other states impose specific requirements for roadside memorials.
546:
along the roadside to memorialize fallen state troopers. In Lake
Elsinore California, a personal roadside cross was removed following a complaint by the
362:
marking a child's death in 1812. A typical memorial includes a cross (usually wooden), flowers, hand-painted signs, and, in the case of a child's death,
775:
1343:
867:
1318:
1253:
1243:
1092:
1069:
893:
Reid, A. (2013). "Private
Memorials on Public Space: Roadside Crosses at the Intersection of the Free Speech Clause and the Establishment Clause".
626:
Tay, R., Churchill, A. & de Barros, A. 2011. Effect of roadside memorial on traffic flow, Accident
Analysis and Prevention, vol. 43, pp.483–486
459:
447:
227:
phenomenon, where an old bicycle is painted white and locked up at an accident site, serves the same purpose in relation to cycling casualties.
558:
234:
The phenomenon of roadside memorials may be associated with another growing trend: public outpouring of grief for celebrities. The death of
675:"Royal Family: The 60 million flowers mourners left after Princess Diana's death and why things aren't quite the same at Buckingham Palace"
274:
since 1990 has increased considerably. In 2003, it was estimated that one in five road deaths were memorialized at the site of the crash.
55:
121:
402:
158:, is a marker that usually commemorates a site where a person died suddenly and unexpectedly, away from home. Unlike a grave site
1127:
1033:
469:. These signs mark the site of a fatal road accident anywhere in the state. Approximately half of all signs are in place due to
102:
74:
1274:
635:
Tay, R. 2009. Drivers' perceptions and reactions to roadside memorials, Accident
Analysis and Prevention, vol. pp.41, 663–669
561:
with a name plate; such signs avoid the state-religious-endorsement controversy by only using a generic circle as an emblem.
535:
59:
1009:
Photos and information about roadside memorials throughout
Florida. Includes links to every state memorial marker programs.
827:
547:
1038:
81:
1292:
1210:
1062:
1159:
331:, memorials will only be allowed where it is deemed safe and appropriate, and they will be removed after three months.
169:
or a tree trunk. A handwritten message, personal mementos, etc. may be included. More sophisticated memorials may be a
1333:
1235:
1220:
716:
430:
848:
674:
262:
Roadside memorials have been erected around the world for centuries. Their legality varies from country to country.
1323:
1174:
385:
88:
1338:
1018:
986:
235:
473:. The signs read either "THINK!" or "WHY DIE?" and feature a prominent red X and a black and white backdrop.
311:
70:
981:
1269:
1055:
912:
48:
1028:
871:
1328:
1184:
359:
344:
220:
1008:
506:
1297:
1194:
1146:
1013:
539:
1117:
797:
650:
393:
339:
1215:
1179:
589:
Reid, Amanda (2023). "Roadside
Memorial Crosses: Highway to Healing or Crossroads of Conflict".
184:
Roadside memorials tend to be clustered along the busiest roadways and often at intersections.
95:
1164:
1154:
1078:
971:
898:
894:
613:
609:
594:
590:
418:
294:
to place a roadside memorial on the site of a deadly car or motorcycle crash. It is usually a
282:
247:
239:
216:
1122:
1112:
500:
351:
166:
962:
Flowers of loss the roadside tributes that provide a haunting reminder of our own mortality
1102:
991:
965:
855:
531:
523:
511:
411:
934:"Mom Who Lost Son In Fatal Crash To Remove Cross Memorial After Atheist Group Complains"
557:, family-made temporary memorials of whatever shape and construction may be replaced by
1189:
423:
407:
363:
328:
320:
170:
1000:
1312:
1039:
Zarrilli, Tom. "Crosses, Flowers, and Asphalt: Roadside Memorials in the U.S. South,"
849:
Commercial Appeal : Memphis News, Business, Homes, Jobs, Cars, & Information
570:
481:
470:
370:
355:
466:
608:
Reid, A. (2015). "Place, Meaning, and the Visual Argument of the Roadside Cross".
17:
1169:
1097:
705:, eds Peter Jan Margry and Cristina Sánchez-Carretero (New York: Berghahn, 2011)
543:
538:. On 18 August 2010 the Tenth Circuit held that the State of Utah violated the
178:
134:
37:
742:
192:
515:
455:
443:
224:
197:
174:
1225:
682:
489:
376:
271:
159:
718:
Road Safety in Australia: a Publication Commemorating World Health Day 2004
1023:
554:
496:
485:
477:
465:
South Dakotan THINK Signs are used for a similar purpose in the state of
139:
422:
A roadside memorial fountain with a statue of Jesus and three angels in
358:
is a relatively new phenomenon. There is a gravestone-style memorial in
350:
The spread of spontaneous roadside memorials to mark the site of fatal
291:
238:, for example, precipitated an avalanche of flowers and wreaths at the
1137:
399:
In the United States, the legal situation varies from state to state.
181:, or a plaque with an inscription, decorated with flowers or wreaths.
1047:
519:
389:
299:
824:"Community Programs and Services – Delaware Highway Memorial Garden"
703:
Grassroots Memorials: The Politics of Memorializing Traumatic Death
434:
A memorial site for a young girl who took her life in the ocean in
559:
a state-issue memorial roadsign saying "DRIVE SAFELY IN MEMORY OF"
505:
435:
429:
417:
401:
338:
310:
295:
281:
243:
205:
191:
133:
982:
United States National Registry of Highway and Roadside Memorials
977:
Information and Photos of Roadside Memorials in the United States
646:"The surprising origins of Paris's most moving tribute to Diana"
209:
1051:
976:
987:
Australian National Registry of Highway and Roadside Memorials
324:
31:
1034:
WashingtonPost article on roadside memorials in Washington DC
542:
of the Constitution by constructing a series of 12-foot high
438:
2013. The site is still being visited and maintained in 2020.
514:
Police Department in memory of 10 people who perished in a
27:
Marker that usually commemorates a site where a person died
1001:
Further information and pictures accompanying the story
826:. Delaware Department of Transportation. Archived from
458:, Streets and Highways Code Section 101.10 directs the
212:
from the loved ones of the accident victim or victims.
1014:
Pictorial of Roadside Memorials throughout So. Florida
1262:
1234:
1203:
1145:
1085:
62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
522:Provincial Highway 214, as it descends toward the
992:Australian Broadcasting Commission transcript of
870:. Descansos.org. 8 September 2004. Archived from
766:
764:
724:, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, p. 290
972:Definition of "descanso" from Doubletongued.org
1280:List of people who died in traffic collisions
1063:
152:
8:
1070:
1056:
1048:
804:. South Dakota Department of Public Safety
122:Learn how and when to remove this message
798:"South Dakota THINK Signs | SD DPS"
774:. Krqe.com. 3 March 2009. Archived from
654:. Telegraph Media Group. 31 August 2017
581:
460:California Department of Transportation
369:The origin of roadside crosses in the
204:Roadside memorials are a statement of
772:"I25 crews protect roadside memorial"
7:
673:Elvery, Martin (12 September 2022).
60:adding citations to reliable sources
913:"American Atheists, Inc. v. Duncan"
868:"(see state by state requirements)"
802:South Dakota Dept. of Public Safety
743:"'Dangerous' road tributes concern"
388:, they are also common at historic
270:The number of memorials erected in
25:
1019:Roadside Memorials of South Texas
1344:Types of monuments and memorials
1136:
1128:Traffic collision reconstruction
510:A small memorial erected by the
246:, the site of her death, and at
36:
1319:Burial monuments and structures
47:needs additional citations for
1275:List of level crossing crashes
536:separation of church and state
286:A roadside memorial in Ukraine
219:. In the 1940s and 1950s, the
1:
548:American Humanist Association
1293:Template:Automotive handling
1211:Assured clear distance ahead
1024:Roadside Memorials of France
448:Department of Transportation
406:Roadside memorial to fallen
1236:Lists of traffic collisions
1221:Driving under the influence
996:, broadcast 7 December 2003
298:or a small monument with a
1360:
1175:Multiple-vehicle collision
1003:White Lines, White Crosses
994:White lines, White Crosses
526:in a series of switchbacks
386:southwestern United States
1288:
1134:
715:Motha, Joe, ed. (2003),
236:Diana, Princess of Wales
150:, also referred to as a
1270:List of bridge failures
1160:Deer–vehicle collisions
1185:Run-off-road collision
527:
439:
427:
415:
360:Ellington, Connecticut
347:
345:Rio Rancho, New Mexico
316:
287:
250:, her home in London.
221:Arizona Highway Patrol
201:
153:
143:
854:19 March 2006 at the
509:
433:
421:
405:
342:
314:
290:It is traditional in
285:
195:
137:
1298:Template:Traffic law
1195:Single-vehicle crash
540:Establishment Clause
492:ban such memorials.
394:long distance trails
258:History and practice
56:improve this article
1118:Vehicle extrication
188:Meaning and message
138:Roadside memorial,
71:"Roadside memorial"
1334:Traffic collisions
1216:Distracted driving
1180:Rear-end collision
1079:Traffic collisions
1029:Roadside Crossings
874:on 5 November 2011
528:
440:
428:
416:
348:
317:
288:
202:
144:
18:Roadside memorials
1324:Automotive safety
1306:
1305:
1165:Head-on collision
1155:Back-up collision
1108:Roadside memorial
352:traffic accidents
248:Kensington Palace
148:roadside memorial
132:
131:
124:
106:
16:(Redirected from
1351:
1339:Street furniture
1140:
1123:Vehicle recovery
1072:
1065:
1058:
1049:
950:
949:
947:
945:
930:
924:
923:
921:
919:
909:
903:
902:
890:
884:
883:
881:
879:
864:
858:
846:
840:
839:
837:
835:
830:on 11 March 2015
820:
814:
813:
811:
809:
794:
788:
787:
785:
783:
768:
759:
758:
756:
754:
739:
733:
732:
731:
729:
723:
712:
706:
700:
694:
693:
691:
689:
670:
664:
663:
661:
659:
642:
636:
633:
627:
624:
618:
617:
605:
599:
598:
586:
553:In the state of
501:Smyrna Rest Area
495:In the state of
167:street furniture
156:
127:
120:
116:
113:
107:
105:
64:
40:
32:
21:
1359:
1358:
1354:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1348:
1309:
1308:
1307:
1302:
1284:
1258:
1230:
1199:
1147:Road collisions
1141:
1132:
1103:Park-to-reverse
1081:
1076:
1044:19 August 2009.
1042:Southern Spaces
966:The Independent
958:
953:
943:
941:
938:CBS Los Angeles
932:
931:
927:
917:
915:
911:
910:
906:
892:
891:
887:
877:
875:
866:
865:
861:
856:Wayback Machine
847:
843:
833:
831:
822:
821:
817:
807:
805:
796:
795:
791:
781:
779:
778:on 6 March 2009
770:
769:
762:
752:
750:
749:. 15 March 2006
741:
740:
736:
727:
725:
721:
714:
713:
709:
701:
697:
687:
685:
672:
671:
667:
657:
655:
644:
643:
639:
634:
630:
625:
621:
607:
606:
602:
588:
587:
583:
579:
567:
532:Christian cross
524:Red River Fault
512:Jianshui County
412:Gervais, Oregon
364:stuffed animals
337:
309:
280:
268:
260:
242:road tunnel in
190:
142:, United States
128:
117:
111:
108:
65:
63:
53:
41:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1357:
1355:
1347:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1311:
1310:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1289:
1286:
1285:
1283:
1282:
1277:
1272:
1266:
1264:
1260:
1259:
1257:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1240:
1238:
1232:
1231:
1229:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1197:
1192:
1190:Side collision
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1151:
1149:
1143:
1142:
1135:
1133:
1131:
1130:
1125:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1089:
1087:
1083:
1082:
1077:
1075:
1074:
1067:
1060:
1052:
1046:
1045:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
998:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
957:
956:External links
954:
952:
951:
940:. 6 March 2014
925:
904:
885:
859:
841:
815:
789:
760:
734:
707:
695:
665:
637:
628:
619:
600:
580:
578:
575:
574:
573:
566:
563:
476:The states of
424:Conneaut, Ohio
408:police officer
343:Descanso near
336:
333:
329:Merthyr Tydfil
321:United Kingdom
308:
307:United Kingdom
305:
279:
276:
267:
264:
259:
256:
240:Pont de l'Alma
189:
186:
171:memorial cross
130:
129:
44:
42:
35:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1356:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1329:Death customs
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1316:
1314:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1287:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1268:
1267:
1265:
1263:Related lists
1261:
1255:
1254:By death toll
1252:
1250:
1247:
1245:
1242:
1241:
1239:
1237:
1233:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1144:
1139:
1129:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1119:
1116:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1090:
1088:
1084:
1080:
1073:
1068:
1066:
1061:
1059:
1054:
1053:
1050:
1043:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1004:
999:
997:
995:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
967:
963:
960:
959:
955:
939:
935:
929:
926:
914:
908:
905:
900:
896:
889:
886:
873:
869:
863:
860:
857:
853:
850:
845:
842:
829:
825:
819:
816:
803:
799:
793:
790:
777:
773:
767:
765:
761:
748:
744:
738:
735:
720:
719:
711:
708:
704:
699:
696:
684:
680:
676:
669:
666:
653:
652:
651:The Telegraph
647:
641:
638:
632:
629:
623:
620:
615:
611:
604:
601:
596:
592:
585:
582:
576:
572:
571:Parting stone
569:
568:
564:
562:
560:
556:
551:
549:
545:
544:Latin crosses
541:
537:
533:
525:
521:
517:
513:
508:
504:
502:
498:
493:
491:
487:
483:
482:Massachusetts
479:
474:
472:
471:drunk driving
468:
463:
461:
457:
452:
449:
445:
437:
432:
425:
420:
413:
409:
404:
400:
397:
395:
391:
387:
382:
379:
378:
372:
371:United States
367:
365:
361:
357:
356:United States
353:
346:
341:
335:United States
334:
332:
330:
326:
322:
313:
306:
304:
301:
297:
293:
284:
277:
275:
273:
265:
263:
257:
255:
251:
249:
245:
241:
237:
232:
228:
226:
222:
218:
217:safer driving
213:
211:
207:
199:
194:
187:
185:
182:
180:
176:
172:
168:
163:
161:
157:
155:
149:
141:
136:
126:
123:
115:
104:
101:
97:
94:
90:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73: –
72:
68:
67:Find sources:
61:
57:
51:
50:
45:This article
43:
39:
34:
33:
30:
19:
1249:2000–present
1107:
1093:Epidemiology
1041:
1002:
993:
964:
942:. Retrieved
937:
928:
916:. Retrieved
907:
888:
876:. Retrieved
872:the original
862:
844:
832:. Retrieved
828:the original
818:
806:. Retrieved
801:
792:
780:. Retrieved
776:the original
751:. Retrieved
746:
737:
726:, retrieved
717:
710:
702:
698:
686:. Retrieved
678:
668:
656:. Retrieved
649:
640:
631:
622:
603:
584:
552:
529:
494:
475:
467:South Dakota
464:
453:
441:
398:
383:
375:
368:
349:
318:
289:
269:
261:
252:
233:
229:
214:
203:
183:
164:
151:
147:
145:
118:
109:
99:
92:
85:
78:
66:
54:Please help
49:verification
46:
29:
1244:Before 2000
1170:Jackknifing
1098:Hit and run
1086:Main topics
878:13 November
728:21 December
303:loved one.
179:ghost shoes
1313:Categories
577:References
516:bus plunge
456:California
444:New Mexico
225:ghost bike
200:in Berlin.
198:ghost bike
175:ghost bike
112:March 2014
82:newspapers
1226:Road rage
808:3 October
782:29 August
683:Reach Plc
679:My London
490:Wisconsin
272:Australia
266:Australia
160:headstone
1113:Rollover
944:10 March
918:10 March
852:Archived
747:BBC News
565:See also
555:Virginia
530:Using a
497:Delaware
486:Kentucky
478:Colorado
377:descanso
154:descanso
140:Virginia
899:2278611
834:7 March
614:2633661
595:4373403
392:on old
390:parajes
384:In the
354:in the
319:In the
292:Ukraine
278:Ukraine
96:scholar
1204:Causes
897:
753:22 May
688:9 July
658:9 July
612:
593:
520:Yunnan
488:, and
300:wreath
98:
91:
84:
77:
69:
722:(PDF)
436:Ystad
327:, in
296:cross
244:Paris
206:grief
103:JSTOR
89:books
946:2014
920:2014
895:SSRN
880:2011
836:2015
810:2021
784:2009
755:2010
730:2009
690:2024
660:2024
610:SSRN
591:SSRN
550:.
518:off
210:love
208:and
75:news
454:In
442:In
410:in
325:BBC
58:by
1315::
936:.
800:.
763:^
745:.
681:.
677:.
648:.
484:,
480:,
446:,
366:.
196:A
177:,
173:,
146:A
1071:e
1064:t
1057:v
948:.
922:.
901:.
882:.
838:.
812:.
786:.
757:.
692:.
662:.
616:.
597:.
426:.
414:.
125:)
119:(
114:)
110:(
100:·
93:·
86:·
79:·
52:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
