The electronic signage of highways and freeways around the country could be less comical from here on out.
New guidance recently passed by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommends a two-year phaseout of witty electronic messages appearing along motorways. While this rule was initially reported as being an outright ban, the FHWA softened its stance on Wednesday after considerable backlash, referring to it instead as merely a recommendation.
From 2026, the FHWA has asked highway operators to only post “simple, direct, brief, legible, and clear” traffic safety campaign messages or emergency updates, according to the agency’s latest Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. It also urged informing drivers of the penalties that might await them should they fail to comply with traffic laws.
The move to tighten up digital signage is to ensure that motorists are getting the information needed to promote safe driving without the risk of being distracted by more allusive messaging that uses wordplay or makes pop culture references. One study on Texas motorways in 2022 showed a slight bump of over 1% in collisions occurring near these more creative signs.
Nevertheless, from “Drive high, get a DUI” to “Visiting in-laws? Slow down, get there late,” these messages often get a chuckle (or maybe a cringe) out of commuters while also serving as a safety reminder.
As previously covered in The Dallas Express, humor and wit have proven successful in passing along public safety messages on social media. For instance, the National Park Service has become a bit of an icon for delivering tongue-in-cheek pearls of wisdom to park visitors, from “Don’t pet the fluffy cows” to “Never catch snowflakes with your tongue until all the birds have flown south.”
Texas is well-known for its unique digital signage, with favorites including:
- You’re not a candle, don’t drive lit
- Gobble gobble, go easy on the throttle
- Be safe, drive smart, love mama
- The eyes of TX are upon you, buckle up
Texas commuters might be happy to know that these messages appear to be here to stay in the Lone Star State.
“Our message board signs along Texas highways are a great tool to show important safety information to drivers,” announced Adam Hammons, the Texas Department of Transportation’s media relations director, in response to the new FHWA manual, according to the Austin American-Statesman. “Every message we post includes a safety component and we will continue to do that.”
This tactic has also become the norm in Arizona, where some 300 creative messages regularly run on highways. The Arizona Department of Transportation (AzDOT) even runs an annual contest for residents to help come up with their own amusing yet informative public safety messages.
Here is a brief look at some of the winners:
- Road rage gives you wrinkles (2018)
- Drive like the person your dog thinks you are (2019)
- Signal and ready to mingle (2020)
- Seatbelts always pass the vibe check (2023)
A similar competition held by TxDOT in 2020 yielded the following winners:
- He sees you when you’re buckled / He knows when you drive baked
- Slow down, you’re already in Texas
- Check yourself before you wreck yourself
The pushback against the FHWA’s attempt to curb these types of messages included state traffic agencies and politicians, such as Governor Katie Hobbs (AZ-D).
This isn’t the first time the FHWA has been accused of being the fun police.
In 2022, it cracked down on electric messages appearing on New Jersey highways. The messages were heavily doused in New Jersey attitude:
- Get your head out of your app
- Nice car, did it come with a turn signal?
- Slow Down, This Ain’t Thunder Road
State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the FHWA’s move at that time as well, citing federal overstep.
“Given the positive reception around these recent safety efforts in New Jersey, we are very concerned to have learned of FHWA’s decision to block the use of these signs earlier this week without providing NJDOT with a comprehensive, data-driven justification for the decision,” read a delegation’s letter sent to the agency’s acting director, Stephanie Pollack, according to NJ.com.
