The Federal Highway Administration forces states to stop putting puns on electronic highway signs
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It's no joke, the new year is bringing new rules that the feds hope will make the roads a little safer. The Federal Highway Administration's forcing states to stop putting puns on electronic highway signs.
Who sees those signs more than truckers? CBS 58 stopped a bunch of long-haul drivers tonight who say the new rule is ridiculous. They like the jokes, see them as memorable, and not a distraction.
"I mean, you've got people reading it anyway, so what's it hurt to have a little sense of humor about it?" said Peter Lupu, trucker from South Carolina.
Peter Lupu says he and his fellow truckers sometimes share the quirky messages they've read with each other, and it makes the drive fun. It's signs like these…
"Camp in the woods, not the left lane," and "Make it to deer camp, drive sober." Both were crafted by the witty communications team at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
"I think there is value in some of these messages. I think Wisconsin did a great job of messaging, as I said, having different perspectives," said Jon Riemann, WisDOT Communications Manager 2018-2021.
Jon Riemann was behind many of the puns you saw on Wisconsin roads through 2021 and had a team weighing in.
"We would have people as young as interns in the room and people ready to retire next week to make sure that basically everybody would understand easily what we were trying to say," said Riemann.
But the Federal Transportation Administration says signs should be simple and brief, and free of any references to pop culture and any jokes because otherwise, they're too distracting.
We asked Emmanuel Caldwell, a trucker from Jacksonville, Florida, if he has seen the electronic signs.
"I see them all the time, yeah," said Caldwell.
CBS 58 asked, "And you see the jokes up there?"
Caldwell said, "I do."
We asked what Caldwell thought about the jokes.
Caldwell said, "Personally it doesn't bother me. I keep my eyes on the road."
In the future, you'll only read about crashes ahead, weather conditions, traffic delays, seatbelt reminders and warnings about speeding or impaired driving. While the feds have had their say, the state's been doing their part to make the roads safer, too.
"We're all seeing it whether you're on the interstate or you're on state highways, whether you're on village roads, county roads, whatever, there's a lot of speeding," said Wisconsin State Senator Robert Cowles (R) Green Bay.
State Senator Robert Cowles is part of the transportation committee and thinks the feds are making a mistake.
"I believe that having a sense of humor will let people pay attention," said Senator Cowles.
The jokes won't disappear right away. The new rule doesn't take effect until 2026.