PHOENIX – A mystery person and a husband-and-wife team of a hero hiker and a kindergarten teacher are the winners of ADOT’s Safety Message Contest.

More than 5,500 votes were cast by the public for the 12 message finalists. The top two vote-getters and winners are:

“We’ve been amazed at the level of public interest each time we’ve held this contest and this year is no different,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Thousands of Arizonans sent us their messages and thousands more voted for their favorite. The purpose of displaying unconventional safety messages is to get people engaged and talking about making safer and smarter decisions behind the wheel. In that respect, this effort is a success.”

The identity of the author of “signal and ready to mingle” is unknown. Contest entrants have the option to include contact information when they submit their message, but contact information is not required and none was included with this entry. This is the first time in four years a winning message has gone uncredited in ADOT’s Safety Message Contest.

Scott and Paula Cullymore of Mesa teamed up to create the Seussian “red fish, blue fish, speeding’s foolish” message.

“It was almost to the deadline and I asked my wife, who’s a kindergarten teacher, if she had any ideas,” Scott said. “She said, ‘This week is Dr. Seuss Week,’ and that’s how the message came to be. She gets all the credit.”

Encouraging safe and smart behavior isn’t new to Scott. An avid hiker, he’s been known to hand out bottled water to dehydrated hikers on Camelback Mountain. He’s hopeful the message results in fewer speeders.

“This message is short and fast and you can read it almost without thinking,” he said. “Hopefully, it sticks with people.”

These winning messages will be displayed on overhead message boards at a later date. Currently, message boards are displaying regular traffic information and COVID-19 safety messages.

More than 4,000 messages were submitted to the contest this year. ADOT whittled the entries down to 12 finalists and a public vote determined the winning messages. 

ADOT displays unconventional safety messages on Dynamic Message Signs as part of an effort to change driver behavior and encourage motorists to make better decisions while driving. According to national statistics, driver behavior, like choosing to speed, driving distracted, impaired or reckless, plays a role in more than 90% of vehicle crashes.

PHOENIX – Beginning Wednesday, motorists on Arizona highways will see messages on Dynamic Message Signs encouraging them to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Arizona Department of Transportation’s overhead message boards will rotate messages daily that encourage social distancing, like avoiding crowds and limiting travel, and good hygiene, like washing hands and covering coughs.

“Arizona continues to take proactive measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of Arizona citizens,” said Governor Doug Ducey. “These messages reflect guidance from public health professionals and will help us keep Arizonans informed during this time.”

The messages will be displayed indefinitely on ADOT’s 291 overhead message boards statewide.

For more information about what Arizona is doing during the COVID-19 outbreak, visit ArizonaTogether.org, which serves as the central location for Arizonans to find help or provide support. Arizonans can also call the Arizona COVID-19 Hotline by dialing 211. The hotline will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

PHOENIX – Man’s best friend and a clever play on words were the big winners in the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Safety Message Contest.

After tallying more than 5,000 votes for the 15 safety message finalists, the winning messages are:

Both messages will appear on overhead signs state through the weekend.

“These messages are wonderful and because the public invested their time into voting for their favorites, hopefully they carry a little more meaning and drivers will take the messages to heart when they see them this weekend over Arizona’s highways,” said  ADOT Director John Halikowski. “Even as a cat owner, I can appreciate the sentiment of wanting to live up to being the people our pets believe us to be.”

Authors of the winning messages were invited to ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center where they had the opportunity to type their messages into the system and see them displayed on overhead messages boards. Mitzie Warner of Chandler submitted the “dog” message and David Posey of San Tan Valley contributed the “see new bars” message.

Warner said she was excited when she heard about the contest and admitted to “probably overthinking it” before coming up with a winning message.

“Dogs see the best in us,” Warner said. “If we all drove like the people they believe us to be – a little nicer, a little more courtesy – it’d be much better.”

Posey isn’t a stranger to safety. He’s worked in mining for two decades and said every meeting he’s been in has started off with a “safety share.”

“I just want everyone to know with all the options we have out there today, like Uber and Lyft,” Posey said. “There is no sense in risking hurting someone else or yourself.”

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% of vehicle collisions are caused by driver decisions, including choosing to speed, drive recklessly, distracted or impaired.

PHOENIX – Well done, Arizona.

The Arizona Department of Transportation received more than 3,200 entries in its Safety Message Contest earlier this month. Now, those entries have been narrowed down to 15 finalists and it’s up to the public to choose the winners.

From today through Monday, May 20, you can view and vote for your favorite safety message at azdot.gov/signcontest. The two messages that receive the most votes will be displayed on Dynamic Message Signs statewide.

“If drivers want safety and less stress, the solution is as close as the steering wheel in your hands,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “One of the interesting things about the contest is seeing the messages submitted and what really matters to people when it comes to transportation safety. People are fed up with drivers that choose to speed, drive distracted or drunk, and want to see more courtesy on the roads.”

ADOT displays unconventional safety messages to encourage drivers to make better decisions behind the wheel. 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.