New protocol...

It won't bring back Scott E. Caplan and Theresa E. Howard, but it's a sensible policy that could save lives in the future.

In a change ordered after two teenagers were killed at a nonfunctioning traffic light in Columbia last month, Howard County police will require officers to stay at nonfunctioning signals until they are fixed or until a stop sign or another temporary device is taken to the scene.

The county also is moving ahead with plans to test its first battery backup system for traffic lights, which can keep a signal running for up to eight hours after it loses electrical power.

Meanwhile, police are continuing an internal investigation to determine whether disciplinary measures should be taken against any officers.