Skip to main content

Dynamic safe driving messages raise awareness

In a new effort to warn drivers to focus on the road, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is using its more than 250 dynamic message signs on interstates and major highways to send safety messages to drivers. The state says speeding, impaired driving, not wearing seatbelts and distracted driving are some of the leading causes of the 550 deaths to date in 2014. "Messages like ‘Put Down Your Phone and Drive, It Can Wait' or ‘Leave All Tailgating at the Game' are designed to raise awareness o
October 7, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
In a new effort to warn drivers to focus on the road, the 1773 Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is using its more than 250 dynamic message signs on interstates and major highways to send safety messages to drivers.  The state says speeding, impaired driving, not wearing seatbelts and distracted driving are some of the leading causes of the 550 deaths to date in 2014.

"Messages like ‘Put Down Your Phone and Drive, It Can Wait' or ‘Leave All Tailgating at the Game' are designed to raise awareness of these driving behaviour," said MoDOT Traffic management and operations engineer Jon Nelson. "Driving is a serious task that demands your attention. We hope our sometimes humorous and interesting messages will remind drivers to refocus on the task at hand."

Messages are changed each month and focus on seasonal issues or safety enforcement campaigns.  October messages include "Unbuckled? Seriously", "One Text or Call Could Wreck It All, It Can Wait", "If You Can't See Trucks Mirrors, They Can't See You", and "Drinking and Driving Don't Mix."

"The primary purpose of the dynamic message signs is to share incident and work zone information to motorists," said Nelson. "When we don't have these incidents, we are using the message signs to share driving safety information instead of just leaving them blank."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ODOT plans ‘smarter highway’
    May 2, 2013
    Until they can raise the US$1 billion it would take to expand congestion-plagued Oregon 217, state traffic planners say they'll focus on making it a smarter highway. Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) engineers believe that a US$6.5 million artificial traffic intelligence project planned for the 217 corridor will permanently alter the Portland metro area's daily commuting culture. The interconnected system will rely on new underground sensors and advanced computer algorithms. The federal government
  • RoadPeace exhibition highlights human cost of collisions
    May 26, 2023
    When Lives Collide is the starkest possible illustration of the importance of road safety. Adam Hill talks to Paul Wenham-Clarke, professor of photography at the Arts University Bournemouth, about the inspiration for this heart-wrenching collection of images and memories
  • GHSA: Pedestrian deaths fall for second straight year in US
    July 15, 2025
    But alarming trends continue for hit-and-run crashes, especially at night
  • TikTok’s Mr Barricade speaks out
    August 27, 2021
    Civil engineer Vignesh Swaminatham (aka Mr Barricade) shares his thoughts with Adam Hill about TikTok, infrastructure, ITS, quick-build projects, bike lanes, inequality, local politics - and dancing