The funniest highway warning signs in the USA

Joke over! In the USA, highway warnings will now no longer be allowed to contain puns or humor. Compassion.

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It's About Time: US Highway Patrol Federal Highway Administration The laughter is gone. The latest published guidance on motorway road safety information states: “Warning signs should avoid language that uses popular culture references or humour.”

You know – things like this:

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

cursed. A government agency like this can really prevent you from having any fun at all! You're not even allowed to smile at a clumsy joke while sitting in a traffic jam.

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Reason: These warning messages appear to be intended to have a distracting effect. In fact, the funny information boards, as intended, will not only contribute to improving highway safety, but will actually increase the risk of accidents, as many drivers appear to be taking out their mobile phones to take a photo as they drive past.

This claim stands 2020 Virginia Department of Transportation Study The opposite, which seems to prove that funny signs attract more cognitive attention than traditional (read: boring) safety signs. The federal agency's response claims that's exactly the problem. Such signs are often confusing – especially for people who do not understand the potential references, distracting them from the driving process.

Photo: Mississippi Department of Transportation

In other words, the feds think you're stupid.

However, this is a done deal at the federal level, As confirmed by various sources. The states in question have two years to implement all changes in the new guidelines — including removing the funny warning labels, … what Now that's reason enough to take a look at some of the classics:

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Photo: Utah Department of Transportation

Fasten seat belts!

And: Camping in nature, not on the left path!

Photo: Missouri Department of Transportation

Photo: Nevada Department of Transportation

Well, the thing about using the turn signal…

Photo: Iowa Department of Transportation

Photo: Utah Department of Transportation

Photo: AP

…There are quite a few of them.

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Photo: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Here's a warning sign on Valentine's Day:

Photo: Nevada Department of Transportation

Here's one on Thanksgiving:

Photo: Ohio Department of Transportation

Photo: Mississippi Department of Transportation

You are the problem.

Photo: Ohio Department of Transportation

Photo: New Jersey Department of Transportation

Photo: Mississippi Department of Transportation

Oh, classic!

Photo: defensedriving.org

Photo: Iowa Department of Transportation

Bonus:

There are no highway information signs, but there are warning signs from all over the world: Have fun!

Image: Shutterstock

Photo: defensedriving.org

Image: Shutterstock

Image: Shutterstock

Photo: defensedriving.org

Image: parade

Image: Shutterstock

Photo: defensedriving.org

Image: Shutterstock

Photo: defensedriving.org

Image: Shutterstock

Image: Shutterstock

Image: Shutterstock

Well, okay, that's not a funny sign per se, but it's more proof that everything, absolutely everything, can be improved by adding Google Eyes.

A self-selection of funny tweets that made me smile or laugh this year. I listen!

Attention, dear Watson user: If the Tweets in this article do not display immediately, Click for our helpful IT support on this linkCount to five either out loud or quietly and then just keep scrolling.