The Feds aren’t too stoked about all the dad jokes on traffic safety signs

When it comes to the traffic-safety messages appearing on billboards, dad jokes are like “we’re girls” TikToks – so in.

In Ohio, drivers see roadside messages like: “O-H-I-WHOA! Watch your speed” or “Visiting in-laws? Slow down, get there late.” Massachusetts urges drivers to “Use Ya Blinkah,” while Utah points out that “Driving Basted is for Turkeys.” New Jersey reminds drivers to “Hold on to your butts, help prevent forest fires.”

But federal regulators aren’t in on the joke. In December, the Federal Highway Administration issued new guidance on traffic-safety messages: Signs should avoid language that uses pop-culture references or humor.

• Federal regulators say these humorous signs could be misunderstood or only understood by a certain number of drivers, and could also require more time to comprehend. Instead, they suggest that signs show messages like: “UNBUCKLED SEAT BELTS FINE + POINTS.”
• On the other hand, funny-sign proponents point to studies that show a correlation between humor and higher information retention, the latter of which could be needed at a time when car-crash deaths remain elevated.

👀 Looking ahead… States have two years to comply with the new federal guidance.