Citation

Schwebel DC. J. Inj. Violence Res. 2024; 16(1): e1868.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences)

DOI

10.5249/jivr.v16i1.1868

PMID

38042995

Abstract

Roadside memorials are displayed worldwide to pay homage to those lost in motor vehicle crashes, and scholars from a wide range of disciplines and geographic locations have discussed the cultural, religious, and psychological impact on passing motorists, victims’ families, and society.1-8A small body of research examines the specific impact of roadside memorials on the safety of drivers passing by them; a recent systematic review9 identified four relevant studies, which together suggest roadside memorials have minimal impact on driver distraction or speed but may reduce red light violations among some drivers.10-13Globally, most roadside memorials consist of either a simple marker, sometimes in the shape of a Christian cross, or a small shrine. These are the types of memorials studied in previous safety research.9While traveling recently in the Atacama Desert region of Northeast Chile, I came across a different, less common, and more unique form of roadside memorial: destroyed vehicles left at the site of motor vehicle crashes. I witnessed burned trucks and shelled-out vehicles.In some cases, tires and other salvageable parts had been removed, but the carcassed remains of vehicles stood. Some were left upside-down. Others were burned, and many were crushed or dented. A few were visible from the roadside but lying below, down inclines or mountainsides; others were left standing directly on the roadway shoulder.In all cases, experiencing a phenomenonsimilar to experimental findings from a videotapedexperiment with small memorials in the form of white crosses,10Ifound it difficult to resist inspecting and pondering the ruins, standing sadly as a memorial to those lost and reminding all passersby of the risks of driving quickly, distractedly, or intoxicated on the curvy and hilly roadways of the remote, mountainous region

Language: en