“If You Miss Your Exit It’s Okay – We Made More Up Ahead”

Georgia DOT announces winners of Safety Message Competition

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) recently announced the winners of its safety message competition. The competition, which was held recently and promoted via social media, invited the public to suggest postings urging safe driving behavior for the Georgia DOT’s digital changeable message signs (CMS) located on major highways throughout the state.

The signs, which are used primarily to alert motorists to crashes or lane closures, often carry safety reminders in the absence of more urgent messaging. Contest judges considered hundreds of submissions in five categories: general safety, distracted driving, impaired driving, seatbelt use, and work zone safety. Some of the submissions from entrants were intended for seasonal use; most can be used year-round. The winning contributors have been contacted by GDOT, and winners may see their messages on the boards beginning Thursday, January 16.

GDOT thanks all those who contributed to the contest, and reminds all who entered the contest that even though their messages weren’t selected as winners, they may still appear on CMS boards throughout Georgia later in the year.

Below are the winning entries:

General Safety:

• First Place: IF YOU MISS YOUR EXIT ITS OKAY, WE MADE MORE UP AHEAD
• Second Place: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
• Third Place (tie): DRIVE LIKE YOUR MOMMA IS WATCHIN’; YOU ARE ALLOWED TO USE TURN SIGNALS, WE CHECKED and DRIVE SAFELY OR WE CALL YOUR MOTHER

Distracted Driving:

• First Place (tie): YOU LOOK GREAT BUT THE SELFIE CAN WAIT and LOOKING AT THE ROAD IS A GREAT WAY TO STAY ON IT
• Second Place: NO ONE WANTS TO SEE TRAFFIC ON SNAPCHAT, BRENDA 
• Third Place: POP QUIZ, WHAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT ON THIS ROAD?

Impaired Driving (many of the messages submitted were seasonal and can be used during the holidays):

• First Place:DRIVING HALF LIT IS NOT VERY BRIGHT
• Second Place: DON’T SPEND THE NEW YEAR IN JAIL, PARTY RESPONSIBLY
• Third Place (tie): DON’T BE A TURKEY AND DRIVE BASTED, and THE PARTY SHOULD BE LIT NOT YOU, BRING IN THE NEW YEAR SAFE

Seatbelt:

• First Place (tie): THIS IS A SIGN YOU SHOULD BUCKLE UP and IF YOU DON’T WEAR A SEATBELT, PLEASE BE AN ORGAN DONOR
• Second Place: WEARING A SEATBELT MAKES YOU LOOK THINNER
• Third Place (tie): HERE IS THE TEA SIS, WE CAN SEE YOU SO BUCKLE UP and SEATBELTS ARE IN, EVERYBODY IS WEARING THEM

Work Zone Safety:

• First Place:LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT, KEEP WORKERS IN SIGHT
• Second Place: WORK ZONE, SLOW DOWN, WORKERS HAVE FAMILIES THAT WANT THEM AROUND
• Third Place (tie): WORK ZONES MATTER SO DO THE PEOPLE IN THEM, and AVOID DESTRUCTION MIND THE CONSTRUCTION