With long winter months ahead of us, we want to share this article to bring awareness for caution and safe driving as you see the white crosses along the roadside. The Montana American Legion White Cross Highway Fatality Marker program was born in January of 1953 after 6 lives were lost over Labor Day weekend near Missoula in 1952. This unique idea of marking fatal traffic accident sites with a white cross was thought of by Floyd Earheart, a member of Hellgate Post #27. The White Cross Safety program started out as a county and later became a district project for the Missoula American Legion Post. Louis Babb was the Assistant Adjutant of the Department of Montana during that time and appeared before the Montana Highway Commission and convinced them to adopt the White Cross Safety Program statewide. Since then, most of the 132 Montana American Legion Posts participate in the program. However, this safety program was not acknowledged in writing until a Letter of Instruction was signed by the Director of MDOT, David A. Galt on November 5th, 2001. On January of 2007 the Director of MDOT, Jim Lynch, was instrumental in getting the American Legion Highway Fatality Marker Program included on the 2007-2008 Official Montana Highway Map, as well as approving the construction and installation of 5’ by 13’ highway signs on all 25 highway entrances to Montana. These blue and white signs state that the White Marker Program is maintained by the American Legion of Montana. The name of the program changed from the White Cross to the Fatality Marker Program in 2007.
The American Legion Fatality Marker Program is operated under strict policies and procedures rooted in Montana Law and Montana Department of Transportation (MDOT) with regulations that dictate placement, offsets, color and sheen of the marker, and type of post. There are over 3,000 fatality markers state-wide while Bozeman American Legion Post #14 is currently maintaining 133 Fatality Markers sharing borders of responsibility with American Legion Posts in Livingston, Belgrade, Manhattan, Big Sky, and Ennis. This program is not supported in any way by the State, County or Local government with material, installation, or maintenance. Only financed and operated by the American Legion as a public service organization for any victim of a traffic fatality at no charge. The funds for the program come from donations and from fundraisers such as bingo nights at your local American Legion Post. Fatality Markers are made in Montana and donated by J.E. Soares, Inc., a Belgrade fabricator, and laser engraving is donated by “Personalize It” here in Bozeman.
For nearly 70 years, these white crosses have reminded passing motorists of the dangers of the road, as it represents a place where a person lost his/her life. Seeing the white crosses at sites of fatal traffic accidents affects us all to one degree or another, they stimulate reverence, sorrow, sympathy, curiosity, and caution. These markers serve as a public service message to “Please Drive Carefully” These Fatality Markers should not be confused with memorials. While MDOT is sympathetic to families who have lost loved ones at these accident sites, decorations placed on the markers obstruct visibility and defeat the purpose of this safety program which can lead to abandonment of the site. Areas around Bozeman where extra caution should be exercised while driving are: I-90 between 19th Street Exit 305 and the Main Street Exit 309, there have been 16 fatalities in that four mile span; Norris Road between Norris and Black’s Ford had 18 fatalities; US 191 between Four Corners and Mile Marker 70, there have been 2 deaths per mile with five Fatality Markers between Mile Marker 70 and 71.
If you believe that a Fatality Marker should be placed somewhere at your loved one’s accident site, call American Legion Post #14 in Bozeman at 406-586-8400 with contact information and details for them to honor your request. The coordinator in Bozeman is Greg Harbac, a career US Marine who has been involved for over 20 years. He works with a team of fellow Veterans and Sons and Daughters of Veterans that include Gil Parker and Jeff Cade, US Navy; Jim Dahlin and Bud Seivert, US Air Force; and David Temkin, US Army; Levi Waller and Laura Alley, US Marines. The team routinely attends to each Fatality Marker at least once a year and often twice a year. This team has erected Fatality Markers solemnly with as few as one or two members and have had family and friend groups of nearly 2 dozen join at the placement of a marker. If you are a Veteran or son/daughter of a Veteran who wishes to join this program, there are meetings on the second Thursday of each month upstairs at the Post on Main Street in Bozeman at 6PM. A Montana Highway Commission Chairman once said of the American Legion Fatality Marker Program, “One of the finest projects I’ve ever seen undertaken by an organization”. If you are interested in donating to this “501 © 3” worthy cause, please mail a check to American Legion Post #14 Fatality Marker Program, PO Box 936, Bozeman, MT 59771.