Have you seen the safety messages ADOT puts on digital signs above highways? The messages that sometimes relate to holidays, like Halloween or Thanksgiving, or popular movies, like “Lion King” or “Star Wars?”
ADOT has a lot fun with messages, but they serve a serious purpose. ADOT wants all drivers to make better choices. Even though their messages are sometimes silly, they all relate to traffic safety and safe driving. It is their goal that drivers will see the message and make better driving decisions, like not speeding, not driving distracted and making sure to wear a seat belt, so there are fewer people getting hurt in car crashes.
With nearly 300 of these Dynamic Message Signs above highways all across Arizona, lots of drivers and passengers – even kids! – can see the messages.
ADOT must follow some federal guidelines when they post messages. For instance, with few exceptions all messages must involve traffic information or traffic safety. Also, their signs don’t have unlimited space – they can only fit three lines and 18 letters or spaces per line.
But, ADOT is hoping Arizona kids can be part of the fun!
MAKE YOUR OWN MESSAGE AND SEND IT TO ADOT
Let your imagination and creativity run wild when thinking up your own silly or serious safety messages. ADOT has created a coloring sheet for you to create your own messages, but if your message needs more space, that’s OK. You can use your own paper or even create a message digitally.
You can create a message that follows the federal guidelines of using 18 letters and three lines or a message that goes way over the limit. Or maybe even a message that has words and pictures!
If you already know what you want your message to say, that’s great! If you’re not sure yet, here’s an ideas to get you started: Pick a safe-driving topic that matters most to you like speeding, seat belts, distracted driving, dust storms, work zone safety, motorcycles, car seats or something else.
When you’re done, ask an adult to scan or take a photo of your message and email it to [email protected]. ADOT will take all the messages received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, and create a slideshow and post on their site on Friday, May 8.
Click here for more information.
