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Families can get a virtual marker for people killed on the road

These are some of the five virtual Memorial Markers available from the Florida Department of Transportation.
Florida Department of Transportation
These are some of the five virtual Memorial Markers available from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Families who have lost someone in a crash on a state highway in Northeast Florida can now choose a real memorial marker at the accident site or an online version through the Florida Department of Transportation.

The Memorial Marker Pilot Program features customizable features to celebrate life, promote safety and increase safety messaging. The program is designed to increase awareness of highway safety and reduce transportation-related injuries and deaths across Florida to zero,

“FDOT routinely strives for opportunities to improve safety,” FDOT District 2 Secretary Greg Evans said. “This pilot program will offer families the option to memorialize their loved ones virtually so they can share their memory with the world — not just those who might drive by the marker.”

The Memorial Marker website allows family members to personalize the virtual marker with one of five designs. They also can link a photo and obituary of the person who died.

The fatal crash must have occurred on a state roadway. Families or friends seeking the virtual sign must upload the accident report on the application site. They also can upload a photo of the deceased, as well as select a memorial quote or write one up to 150 characters in length, the FDOT said.

Any memorial must have approval from the family of the deceased if the ones requesting it are not relatives, the website application said.

Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years as a radio, television and print reporter in the Jacksonville area, as well as years of broadcast work in the Northeast. You can reach Dan at dscanlan@wjct.org, (904) 607-2770 or on Twitter at @scanlan_dan.