You asked if any states erect signs along highways at the sites of fatal crashes that memorialize the victims.

In a 2006 survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, 36 states responded to requests for information about roadside memorial policies. Of those responding, 15 states had an official policy, 17 had no policy, and four were considering a program at the time of the survey.

States having official policies split into two groups. Some states, such as California and Colorado, erect official signs, usually for a fee that covers the cost of the sign and its installation and maintenance. The signs will bear a message of “Please Drive Safely” or something similar. If the victim died as a result of a drunk-driving accident, the sign might say, “Please Don't Drink and Drive. ” Below that sign, a smaller sign will say something akin to, “In memory of” and then the victim's name. Some states will only erect signs for drunk-driving victims while other states will erect the same sign regardless of the type of accident.

Other states, such as Alaska, allow private citizens to erect their own memorial. Alaska allows the memorials to be placed for two years. A memorial can be erected at or near the spot on the highway where the accident or incident took place, so long as it is on the side of the road or highway and away from bridges, culverts, and pipes and inside guardrails. Alaska's Department of Transportation and Public Facilities publishes a pamphlet that gives guidelines on how to place a memorial and register it with the state. (Along with allowing privately constructed memorials, Alaska also erects official signs, too. )

The survey notes many states without an official policy allow private citizens to erect roadside memorials so long as they do not become traffic hazards.

We have attached the survey as well as a sample of policies from several states.