Winners unveiled in Arizona clever freeway signs contest

PHOENIX — Two submissions inspired by real-life moments have won Arizona’s clever freeway sign contest.

The two winning signs will be on display this weekend on Arizona Department of Transportation message boards around the state.

The messages read, “That’s the temperature, not the speed limit” and, “Single in HOV? Get a real date not a court date.”

Both winners said their sign ideas came from real-life experience.

“A friend and I were driving and she was alarmed because she thought I was driving 101 miles per hour,” winner Ashley Servatius said in a press release. “Little did she know, that was my temperature gauge and not my speedometer. It was a good laugh.”

The other winner, Jim Atkinson, said HOV violators have always been a pet peeve of his and he was glad to see ADOT install fine warning signs along the lanes.

“Plus, when you’re cruising down the road and other drivers see you, you just look bad,” he said in the release.

Safety message winners Ashley Servatius (left) and Jim Atkinson (right) receive certificates from ADOT's Doug Pacey. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/Ho2V0OOOLz

— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) April 21, 2017

ADOT named its 20 finalists last month and let the public vote on its favorites. About 8,000 votes were cast.

“We want to thank everyone who participated in the contest, sending in entries and voting,” Kevin Biesty, ADOT deputy director for policy, said in the release.

“Our hope in putting unconventional safety messages on the overhead signs is that drivers will engage with the message and driver behavior will begin to change, making roads safer for everyone.”

The finalists that were selected from about 6,700 entries touched on everything to drinking and driving and texting behind the wheel to using the HOV lane properly and using a turn signal. You can see them in the slideshow below.

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