By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

Motorists driving on Interstate 17 between Black Canyon City and Cordes Junction will see a hot, new message on a couple of our overhead signs, encouraging travelers tune in to 1690 AM and 1650 AM for wildfire information.

The effort is a partnership between ADOT, Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs and Bureau of Land Management. From June 1 to July 15, signs on northbound I-17 at Sunset Point Rest Area and southbound I-17 at Cordes Junction will read:

Motorists can help prevent brush fires – and the associated road closures – from occurring along state highways by following these tips:

• Don’t park in tall grass, as the heat from parts under your vehicle can start a fire.
• Make sure nothing is hanging from underneath your vehicle and dragging on the pavement.
• Dragging chains during towing can cause sparks. Never substitute parts when towing.
• Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks.

For more information on wildfire prevention and current fires, visit the Arizona Interagency Wildfire Prevention website.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

The wait is almost over.

On Friday, we’ll reveal the winners in our Safety Message Contest. We’ve invited the winners to come to our Traffic Operations Center and type their message into our Dynamic Message Sign system. The winning messages will appear on overhead signs Friday through Monday.

You can see the winners by checking our Facebook page around 11:30 a.m. Friday or by traveling state highways this weekend.

By the way, did you know that one contest entry has already appeared on our overhead signs? We’ll consider using others in the future, too.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

If you think you're seeing more motorcycles than usual on Phoenix freeways this weekend, that's because you probably are. Arizona Bike Week and Phoenix Bikefest are occurring through Sunday in Scottsdale and Peoria.

ADOT isn't involved with either event, but we're taking the opportunity to spread awareness about sharing the road with motorcycles. Many overhead signs, especially those on the Loop 101 Agua Fria and Pima freeways, will display this message:

This safety message sometimes elicits responses from drivers of cars asking that motorcycles make safety a priority too. The fact is, vehicle blind spots can hide motorcycles. But drivers of four- and two-wheeled vehicles alike must make safe driving a priority. Speeding is a leading factor in traffic fatalities involving cars and motorcycles.

For more information on motorcycle safety, visit the Arizona Motorcycle Safety & Awareness Foundation’s website.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

Don’t rely on luck or four-leaf clovers to stay safe on St. Patrick’s Day.

If your plans include an evening out, have fun, but make smart decisions before getting in a vehicle. Designate a driver or call a taxi or rideshare service.

Did you know that alcohol-related crashes in Arizona historically spike on St. Patrick’s Day?

To promote smart driving decisions, ADOT will display this St. Patrick’s Day-themed safety message on Dynamic Message Signs statewide.

While leprechauns might be difficult to find, state and local law enforcement will be easy to spot. The Arizona Department of Public Safety will have an enhanced presence on highways, targeting impairment and other dangerous driving behavior, and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety is working with State Troopers, police officers and deputy sheriffs on a statewide DUI enforcement campaign.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

ADOT recently revealed the 20 finalists in our Safety Message Contest. We’ll announce the winners in April, but one contest entry is being displayed on our Dynamic Message Signs this weekend before voting wraps up on Wednesday, March 15.

Huh?

Blame daylight saving time.

At 2 a.m. Sunday, March 12, billions of people worldwide will spring forward, setting their clocks ahead one hour. Meanwhile, Arizona doesn’t observe daylight saving time, and Phoenix resident Chris Ambiel conjured up a clever message that combined the twice-annual clock-changing event and seat belts.

Instantly, we loved the message. Often, our safety messages are related to holidays or current events, like popular concerts, blockbuster movie premieres and sporting events. Ambiel’s message makes that connection too, tying something everyone is familiar with, like daylight saving time, with a safety element. Did you know that about 30 percent of all people killed on Arizona’s roads each year weren’t wearing seat belts? In 2015, that equaled 258 unnecessary fatalities.

“I came up with this message because I was trying to show some humor and the importance of wearing seat belts,” Ambiel said. “It just came to mind, being that we don't turn back the clocks in Arizona or forward them for daylight saving time.”

Because contest winners will be displayed on overhead signs in April and daylight saving time occurs in March, we chose to run Ambiel’s message when it is most relevant. We’re looking forward to seeing what two finalists will be picked.

By John Halikowski / ADOT Director

We don’t need an Academy or selfie-taking accountants to tell us who has the best safety message. We want YOU to tell us who has the best entry in ADOT’s safety message contest.

With more than 7,000 submissions, there are now 20 finalists that have advanced to the next round of the contest. From speeding and impairment, texting and seat belt use, to proper use of the HOV lane and general driving safety tips, you get to decide which two messages will appear on signs above Arizona’s highways.

With so many great submissions, ADOT expanded the number of finalists from 15 to 20 and increased the winners from one to two. The winning messages will appear on overhead signs one day each in April.

I commend the creativity displayed from those Arizonans who submitted entries in our safety message contest. We want our residents to be engaged in the conversations about transportation safety. It takes all of us to be good drivers, sharing the road and obeying traffic laws, so we can reduce fatal and serious-injury vehicle crashes.

Do vote by March 15 and I promise you won’t have to worry about wrong envelopes being opened with the winning message.

This post originally appeared on ADOT Director John Halikowski's
LinkedIn page. He has led the agency since 2009.

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications

Voting has begun.

Earlier this week, we revealed the 20 finalists and opened voting in our Safety Message Contest. Did your message make the cut?

Selecting the finalists wasn’t easy. It took close to a week to read through the nearly 7,000 submissions and whittle the list to 20 finalists. The list has variety – funny, punny and serious – and we think everyone will find something appealing.

Voting is open March 1-15 and we’ll announce the winners – the top two vote-getters will appear on overhead signs – in April.

If your entry didn’t make the list of finalists, there’s still a chance it can find its way to an overhead sign. We have already scheduled a contest entry related to an event this month to appear on signs in March and will consider others throughout the year.