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By Feven Gerezgiher

New federal guidelines for traffic control go into effect Thursday and among them are advice against quirky or humorous traffic safety messages on highways. However, Minnesota officials do not expect to get rid of their popular traffic safety messages.

Last month, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration released a 1,100-page manual detailing changes intended to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and road users. Called the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, or MUTCD, it was last updated in 2009.

Officials said electronic signs that have “obscure meanings” like pop culture references or that are intended to be humorous should be avoided because they might be confusing or distracting for drivers.

The manual says traffic safety messages should be “simple, direct, brief, legible and clear” and should be part of a coordinated safety campaign that includes other forms of media. Such messages should also be relevant to road users in the area (e.g. bus stop safety messages shouldn’t be on highways).

The priority is on maintaining “respect” for electronic signs, whose main use is to convey important information such as warning drivers of crashes ahead adverse weather conditions and traffic delays. The manual details how overexposure to messaging can result in diminished responsiveness from drivers.

States are required to adopt the changes within two years.

Minnesota is among many states across the country with creative signage, sharing messages across the state with its “Message Monday” campaign since 2016.

“Make it to the end zone. Plan a sober ride” reads one sign from around the 2020 Super Bowl. Other examples include “Off to the lake? Please drive sober for goodness sake” and “Drink & drive? Meet police and see new bars.”

Similar signs in New Jersey were removed after the Federal Highway Administration ruled in 2022 that such signs are too distracting, but reappeared last year after the New Jersey Department of Transportation decided to be “mindful” and “not too edgy,” according to a local TV station.

News outlets reported this week that funny signs were being banned, drawing concerns the fun would go away, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation — or MnDOT — says those fears are unfounded.