Feds Put an End to Humorous and Witty Highway Sign Messages
Say goodbye to those humorous and witty messages on electronic highway and freeway signs. Officials are banning humorous electronic messages across the country.
The U.S. Federal Highway Administration released its new 1,100-page manual last month. It includes rules that spell out how signs and other traffic control devices are regulated. They have given states two years to implement all the changes outlined in the manual.
Starting in 2026, officials from the administration have announced that overhead electronic signs with weird messages, references to pop culture, or those that try to be funny will be prohibited. They believe these signs can confuse drivers, distract drivers, or lead to misunderstandings.
Goodbye, weird messages and pop culture references on highways and freeways electronic signs.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s agency wants signs to be easily understood. They should be simple, short, and clear. These signs are meant for important stuff like warnings about crashes, bad weather, and traffic delays. They’re also okay with reminders to wear seatbelts and warnings about the risks of speeding or driving under the influence.
In various states, humorous signs have been used on highways and freeways. The Associated Press has reported that among the messages destined to vanish are quips like “Use Yah Blinkah” in Massachusetts (2014), “Visiting in-laws? Slow down, get there late” from Ohio (2018), “Don’t drive Star Spangled Hammered” from Pennsylvania, “Hocus pocus, drive with focus” from New Jersey, and “Hands on the wheel, not your meal” from Arizona.
The outlet also notes that Arizona has over 300 electronic signs above its highways. For the last seven years, the state Department of Transportation has held a contest to find the funniest and most creative messages.
Open to anyone for submissions, the contest drew over 3,700 entries last year. The winning entries were “Seatbelts always pass a vibe check” and “I’m just a sign asking drivers to use turn signals,” as reported by The Associated Press.
