Federal government barring humorous highway signs

[KARAH RUCKER]

“HOCUS POCUS, DRIVE WITH FOCUS”

“USE YA, BLINKAH.”

“HANDS ON THE WHEEL, NOT YOUR MEAL.”

“DON’T DRIVE STAR SPANGLED HAMMERED.”

SIGNS LIKE THESE HAVE TAKEN OVER U.S. HIGHWAYS.

STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS OUTDOING ONE ANOTHER TO CATCH YOUR ATTENTION WITH PUNS OR POP CULTURE REFERENCES AS REMINDERS TO DRIVE SAFELY.

BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS PUTTING AN END TO THE PUNNY COMPETITION.

IN AN 1,100 PAGE MANUAL RELEASED IN DECEMBER, THE U.S. FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION SAID THE SIGNS MUST GO.

ADDING THAT THEY COULD BE HARD TO UNDERSTAND AND LEAD TO WHAT MANY OF THEM HOPE TO DETER: DISTRACTED DRIVING.

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN NEW JERSEY WARNING DRIVERS TO STOP TAKING PICTURES OF THE HUMOROUS SIGNS OR IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE OLD MESSAGES.

THE NEW GUIDANCE IS SIGNS SHOULD BE BRIEF, SIMPLE,AND ONLY BE USED TO WARN DRIVERS OF CRASHES AHEAD, BAD WEATHER, AND TRAFFIC DELAYS. 

“​​Messages with obscure or secondary meanings, such as those with popular culture references, unconventional sign legend syntax, or that are intended to be humorous, should not be used as they might be misunderstood or understood only by a limited segment of road users and require greater time to process and understand.”

THE MANUAL ALSO ALLOWS FOR SIGNS ABOUT WEARING SEATBELTS AND DRIVING SOBER.

BUT NOT EVERYONE IS HAPPY ABOUT THIS NEW GUIDANCE, PARTICULARLY IN ARIZONA, WHERE OFFICIALS ASK THE PUBLIC FOR CLEVER SIGN IDEAS 

A COMPETITION THAT DREW 3,700 SUBMISSIONS IN 2023.

REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID COOK TELLING LOCAL CBS AFFILIATE THAT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVERSTEPPING.

Arizona Rep. David Cook (R): “THE HUMOR PART OF IT, WE KIND OF LIKE, I THINK IN ARIZONA THE MAJORITY OF US DO, IF NOT ALL OF US. AND SO WE DON’T UNDERSTAND, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COME IN AND TELL US WHAT WE CAN DO IN OUR OWN STATE.”

DESPITE THAT STATES WILL HAVE TWO YEARS TO COMPLY WITH THE NEWLY RELEASED GUIDANCE PUT OUT BY THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.

SO, AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE HIGHWAY GET READY TO SAY BYE. BYE. BYE. TO THOSE POP CULTURE REFERENCES AND PUNS WE HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO SEEING ON OUR COMMUTES.