Nebraska Breaks the Mold with Unique Approach to Highway Safety Messages
While embracing humor and pop culture references, this DALL-E illustration reminds us to enjoy a laugh while driving safely, steering clear of any GTA-inspired antics on the road.
Despite federal guidelines advising against humor in traffic messages for being potentially distracting, Nebraska Department of Transportation encourages creative entries for display on Interstate 80's digital boards every Friday. Paul Hammel of The Nebraska Examiner reported Tuesday that the initiative seeks to blend safety with humor, focusing on safe driving around holidays and events.
Nebraska DOT spokeswoman Jeni Campana clarified in the Nebraska Examiner’s report that the new manual urges states to "consider" whether their humorous messages lean towards satire over safety. The state aims to "strike a balance" between genuinely funny content and avoiding tasteless jokes.
Additionally, Campana emphasized in the report that humor is a creative tool to prompt safety discussions, encouraging continuous safety awareness among drivers.
Since Nebraska DOT submissions are open until April 30, we at Lozafina Marketing and Public Relations said, 'Challenge accepted!'
Below is our list of funny sayings. Take a guess at which three we submitted.
"EGGS OVER EASY, NOT CARS. DRIVE SAFE"
Easter-themed, encourages safe driving without flipping over.
"GHOST YOUR LOVED ONES. DRIVE SAFE"
Halloween-themed, urging safe driving to avoid tragic outcomes.
"THIS ISN'T MARIO KART, DRIVE SAFELY"
Mario Kart reference, reminding drivers real-life driving isn't a game.
"RESPECT THE LAW, EVEN IF TREVOR IN GTA WON'T"
A reference to Trevor, one of GTA V's main characters, known for his lawlessness.
"STAY ALIVE, DON'T DO THE KEKE"
Referencing the viral Keke Challenge, warning against dangerous car exits for dance.
"BE A STAR, NOT A STATISTIC. DRIVE SAFE"
General encouragement to drive safely, with a nod to aiming for positive fame.
"HEISTS BELONG IN GTA, NOT YOUR DRIVE"
Discouraging the reckless, adventurous driving often seen in GTA heist scenarios.
"THIS ISN'T LOS SANTOS. RESPECT LIGHTS"
Referring to the fictional city in GTA, emphasizing the importance of obeying traffic signals.
"NEW YEAR, SAME RULES. DRIVE SAFE"
New Year-themed, reminding drivers that safety rules are timeless.
"YODA SAYS, 'SAFE YOU MUST DRIVE'"
A nod to Star Wars, with Yoda advising on driving safely.
"AVOID THE DARK SIDE, USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL"
Another Star Wars reference, this time about using turn signals.
"NO RESPAWNS IRL, DRIVE SAFELY"
Highlighting the real-world lack of video game-style respawns to emphasize safety.
"CHEAT CODES WON'T FIX TIRES. SLOW DOWN"
Pointing out that unlike in GTA, there's no quick fix for driving dangers in real life.
"NO BONUS POINTS FOR SPEEDING"
Reminding drivers that real life doesn't reward risky driving like a game might.
"SPIDEY SENSE SAYS SLOW DOWN"
Spider-Man reference, suggesting drivers should heed their cautionary instincts.
"WINTER IS COMING, DRIVE SLOWLY"
A Game of Thrones reference, especially relevant in snowy conditions.
"DON'T BE A HOMER, DRIVE SMART"
A nod to Homer Simpson's often careless behavior, urging smarter driving.
And, by far, our favorite line …
WE'VE GOT IDEAS FOR DAYS. LET'S COLLAB WWW.LOZAFINA.COM
Because we’re extra… We didn't just select three submissions – we submitted them all!
However, we believe it was our final pitch that stole the show. With creativity overflowing, we're ready to collaborate on your next big project. At Lozafina, when an opportunity to pitch arises, we seize it with gusto!