The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is holding another contest to see who can come up with the best safety message for the dynamic message signs on the interstates.
The contest gives Tennessee motorists an opportunity to be a part of TDOT’s mission to save lives. Last year’s winning entry was, “Texting and driving / Oh cell no!” Other popular messages included, “Eyes on the road and head out of your apps” and “Buckle up y’all. It’s the law.”
Entries will be considered for five highway safety categories: seatbelt usage, impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, and aggressive driving.
This year, TDOT is inviting students to participate as well. “Last year’s contest was a huge success,” said TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. “The number of creative submissions we received amazed us. Several schools expressed an interest in participating, and we’re excited to extend an invitation to our future drivers to help TDOT accomplish our goal of saving lives.”
To enter the contest, go to TDOT’s website and click on “TDOT Safety Message Contest.” The contest run through Tuesday, Feb. 2. TDOT will then give the public the opportunity to vote on the best messages, also via the TDOT website. The winning message will be placed in rotation to run on the overhead dynamic message signs statewide throughout the year.
A total of 190 dynamic message signs are located in the state’s four urban areas (Chattanooga, Knoxville Memphis, and Nashville), and in some rural areas across the state. The main purpose of the signs is to alert motorists of incidents, lane blockages, hazardous road conditions, or Amber Alerts. In 2012, TDOT became the first DOT in the nation to display roadway fatality numbers on the overhead signs. In addition to the fatality statistics, safety messages are displayed during off-peak travel times.
Source: Tennessee Department of Transportation