HIGHWAY MEMORIALS SERVE A WORTHY PURPOSE

We've all seen the memorial wreaths and crosses with flowers along highways across Missouri. Without being told, we know that someone lost his or her life there. And even though we may not know any of the particulars of the fatal accident, we are reminded that safe driving saves lives. But if we know whose death is marked by the roadside memorial, we are all the more involved in what the memorial represents: the life of someone who was near and dear to relatives and friends.

A committee has been formed to consider the safety of those who erect the highway memorials. On the committee are law-enforcement officials, transportation officials and representatives of those whose lives have been changed forever by a highway fatality. The committee met recently in Jefferson City. One of the topics was whether such memorials should be regulated somehow or perhaps even banned outright.

For state officials, this is a safety issue. There is concern that relatives and friends could themselves be injured or killed while placing a wreath or cross at the site of a tragic accident.

Some states already limit or ban such memorials. Texas only allows memorials at the scenes of alcohol-related fatalities. Oregon is considering a ban on crosses. Florida replaces impromptu shrines with permanent markers that urge motorists to "Drive safely."

The committee's intention's are honorable. What a terrible blow it would be if some relative or friend of a highway fatality were to be killed or seriously injured while place a wreath or cross along the shoulder of a busy highway.

But that hasn't happened. More than likely, individuals who go to such lengths are extra cautious because someone they knew and loved is dead as the result of a highway accident.

For many of these survivors, the roadside memorials are more than a short-term tribute. Many of the memorials are refreshed from season to season with new and brightly colored flowers. For these folks, the very idea of banning or restricting the wreaths and crosses is unthinkable.

"Erecting a shrine is a healthy way of saying goodbye and of keeping a loved one in memory," says a psychologist at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Let's hope the Jefferson City committee keeps that in mind before making any recommendations that could wind up as state laws. For those who grieve, the memorials are a way to honor those who have died. For the rest of us, the memorials are a constant reminder one that we need.