ADOT announces winners in Safety Message Contest

PHOENIX – The votes are in and Arizonans have selected the winners of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Safety Message Contest.

After tallying more than 2,500 votes for the 15 safety message finalists, the winning messages are:

BUCKLE UP
BUTTERCUP

ROAD RAGE
GIVES YOU
WRINKLES

CAMPING IN THE
LEFT LANE
ATTRACTS BEARS

“Buckle up, buttercup,” received the most votes and the other two tied for runner-up. All three messages will appear on overhead signs statewide through the weekend.

“It was very heartening to see so many people engaging with safe-driving messages during the contest ,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The purpose of placing these safety messages on overhead signs is to start conversation that will improve driver behavior and make the roads safer for all of us.”

Winners have been invited to ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center where they’ll have the opportunity to type their messages into the system and see them displayed on overhead messages boards.

“Buckle up, buttercup” appeared on multiple contest entries, including four submissions that included information that allowed winners to be contacted. They are: Tasha Anderson of Youngtown; Susan Henry of Glendale; Dianna Schoening of Peoria; and Lily Hutt of Cave Creek.

Sterling Gavette of Phoenix submitted “Camping in the left lane attracts bears,” and Christina Healy of Prescott Valley authored, “Road rage gives you wrinkles.”

Displaying traffic safety messages on overhead signs is one way that ADOT and other traffic safety stakeholders in Arizona are trying to change driver behavior. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 90 percent of vehicle collisions are caused by driver decisions, including choosing to speed, drive recklessly, distracted or impaired.