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Sacramento — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy’s Assembly Bill 1781 that will allow the California Highway Memorial Sign Program to continue operating after this year. This program allows drunk driving victims’ loved ones to request that Cal-Trans erect a memorial sign in memory of their loved ones. “This memorial sign program, which I helped to start in 2001, has been very successful. Thirty families have had signs erected in the last five years. These signs provide a tribute to their loved ones, and hopefully, will save lives by presenting a visible and sobering reminder that driving under the influence really kills people,” said Assemblyman Mountjoy. The signs read, “PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.” A smaller sign is placed below reading, “IN MEMORY OF” followed by the victim or victims’ names. |
“Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) wholeheartedly believes that these memorial signs are an effective tool in the community, to keep the drunk driving message visible to all who utilize our highways. Drinking and driving does kill,” said MADD’s State Executive Director, Paula Birdsong. MADD was the sponsor of AB 1781. “My original law expires at the end of this year,” continued Mountjoy. “Originally, we wanted to make sure that these signs did not become a distraction to other drivers, so we put an expiration, or sunset, in the original law to ensure that the law worked the way we hoped it would. With 30 placed around California, proliferation has not been a problem, and the original law is working as we hoped. AB 1781 will lift the sunset date and allow this program to continue.” “Many cities and counties have also adopted similar programs for their roadways. This is a successful program that is intended to make people think twice before they get in their car and drive while under the influence,” concluded Assemblyman Mountjoy. |