In the two weeks since Gov. Charlie Crist signed Florida's Silver Alert program into law, I have seen two such alerts posted on overhead "smart signs" during my daily commute. At first, I didn't know what a Silver Alert was, but when I found out, it made sense to me.

A Silver Alert is designed to help missing people with cognitive disabilities or dementia. Since Florida has more people age 65 and older than any other state, I'd stay it's about time it joined Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas as a state with such a program.

The first Silver Alert went out a week after the program began. Luckily, the 86-year-old Boynton Beach man was found alive -- when he crashed near the jail in Miami. When I read the story, I thought of my late grandfather, who kept driving far longer than he should have, frequently getting lost and driving for hours before finally returning home.

So far, all the alerts have been successful. I'm glad we're doing this, but it makes me sad to think it's such a necessity.