BILLINGS - Along many of Montana highways there are white crosses marking where someone's died in a wreck. But not all fatalities in the state are marked with crosses. The program started in Missoula in 1953 as a reminder for people to drive safer on Montana roadways. And according to American Legion representatives it's working. There are about 2,000 white crosses along many Montana highways. American Legion officials say the crosses are not memorials, although families can put things on the pole of the cross as a memorial. They say the crosses serve as a sobering reminder that a fatal accident happened there. Jon Todd is with American Legion Post 4 he says, "It saves lives and it also helps improve our highways. A lot of these white cross markers if there's a lot of them in one area they'll look at the design of the highway and see the problem of the highway and change that so it's a very important program." Not all highway deaths are marked this way. Due to a federal ruling the crosses are not allowed on the interstate. And not all American Legion posts in the state participate in the program, so there are stretches of roadways where there are no crosses. The crosses are funded through the legion and donations.
For more information about the program you can contact your local American Legion Post.
Thanks to Heather Keating for that question. If you have a question you'd like us to answer e-mail it to us at news@kulr.com and we'll let you know What's Up With That.