Frustrated Man Argues Roadside Memorials For Accident Victims Are Unnecessary — 'They Keep Putting More Flowers And Crosses'
Should we put an end to roadside memorials, or are they the best way for families to grieve a lost loved one?
Frances A. Miller / Shutterstock One of the leading causes of death for adults in America is motor vehicle crashes, and approximately 3,700 people die every day in road accidents worldwide, making a total of 1.35 million deaths globally in a year.
If you've ever driven on a freeway, then you've most likely come across the memorials to remember the thousands of people who die from fatal car crashes, but one man penned a post to Reddit, calling for the end of them.
A frustrated driver claimed roadside memorial sites for accident victims are 'unnecessary.'
Posted to the subreddit "r/unpopularopinion," a man claimed that memorials put on the side of the road to remember accident victims are both "stupid and unnecessary."
"Especially the ones that were the drivers' fault," he argued. "We had a guy speeding through our neighborhood on his motorcycle. He went to pass a young driver going the speed limit on a one-lane road. When he tried to whip back into the appropriate lane he hit some gravel and lost control, sending his motorcycle onto the sidewalk and into a tree."
He continued, recalling that the motorcyclist who lost his life hadn't been wearing a helmet, and was so severely injured that his family had to identify him from the tattoos he had. He acknowledged that now every time the driver that the motorcyclist tried to pass drives home, she sees a tree covered in flowers that most likely reminds her of a horrid thing she had to witness.
He tried to play Devil's advocate, explaining that he could be "jaded" in this opinion because the motorcyclist caused his own accident. "It’s been almost a year and they keep putting more flowers and crosses. Is that going to be forever? Does it stop when the family moves?"
In the United States, fatal motor accidents happen at an exponential rate.
According to data acquired by Forbes, in 2020, a total of 35,766 fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred on U.S. roadways, which resulted in a total of 38,824 deaths. It was calculated that one fatal car accident occurs every 15 minutes. There was a 7% increase in the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents between 2019 and 2020.
Photo: CarmonaGuerrero / Shutterstock
Drunk driving and speeding were two leading causes of fatal accidents, causing 11,654 and 11,259 road fatalities, respectively, in 2020. Distracted drivers were also a leading cause of fatal collisions, with 2,974 fatal crashes attributed to drivers who failed to keep their focus on the roads.
With how frequent car accidents happen in both this country and globally, roadside memorials not only remember the victims who have lost their lives but can serve as a reminder to other drivers on the road that they should proceed with caution and attention when behind the wheel. On top of that, families and friends of car accident victims, especially victims who caused their own accidents, are still grieving.
People are allowed to mourn lost loved ones. Just because someone did something catastrophic while driving and lost their own life because of it, that doesn't mean they should be punished, even in death. They're gone — it's impossible to reprimand them and it doesn't mean they can't be missed.
The motorcyclist who the man mentioned in his Reddit post most likely had a loving family and friends, people who cared about him, and they should be allowed to grieve without judgment.
While one perspective finds them "unnecessary," it can't be ignored that these memorials hold significant meaning for the people who create and visit them. If anything, let that be enough for them.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.