Roadside Memorials

Roadside Memorials The issue is roadside memorials and whether they should be allowed on the side of the road or not. There is a large controversy over roadside memorials because some people believe they are distracting and should be illegal altogether because they have caused car accidents that result in more deaths. Others believe that people deserve the right to express their grief in any form. This issue had become problematic because the amount of roadside memorials in increasing. Roadside memorials should be illegal because they are a enormous distraction to drivers and . One reason that roadside memorials should be illegal is that they are a distraction for drivers. It is very important for a driver to keep their eyes on the road while driving and seeing a roadside memorial can distract the driver and cause them to take their eyes off the road. This can cause a car crash and result in even more deaths. In the article Dedication of Oregon police roadside memorial near Albany leads to crash, Tom Hallman Jr. states that “two vehicles collided along interstate 5, the drivers apparently distracted by a crowd of more than 100 people who gathered to honor three officers hit by a car at the same location 10 years ago.” (Pg. 1) This proves that roadside memorials are distracting because the drivers were distracted and got into an accident. Roadside memorials aren’t worth another death. One reason that they are a distraction is that people slow down to see what they say or who died. In the same article, Tom Hallman Jr. states that “A pickup truck slowed. A station wagon following didn’t.” People stopping to look at the memorial caused the accident. If the memorial was not placed on the side of the road then the accident would never have happened. In the same article, Dave Thompson is quoted and he said, "Anything that distracts you from driving can be dangerous," (Par. 17). this is very true because drivers get distracted very easily. As a driver you are taught