Voting begins on Tuesday to choose the winners from the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s Dynamic Message Sign Contest.
TDOT received nearly 3,000 entries for possible safety messages for the overhead signs located across Tennessee. The entries were narrowed down to 15 messages that cover safety issues such as distracted driving, seatbelt usage, impaired driving, speeding, and aggressive driving.
To vote, visit http://www.tn.gov/tdot/article/dms and click the circle next to your favorite message. Voting will continue through March 1. The winning messages will be posted online the following week, and will be placed in rotation to run on the overhead Dynamic Message Signs statewide throughout the year. Some of the entries were modified slightly to fit guidelines for the signs.
A total of 190 Dynamic Message Signs are located in the state’s four urban areas (Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville), and in some rural areas across the state.
Officials said the main purpose of the signs is to alert motorists of incidents, lane blockages, hazardous road conditions, or Amber Alerts. In 2012, TDOT became the first DOT in the nation to display roadway fatality numbers on the overhead signs. In addition to the fatality statistics, safety messages are displayed during off-peak travel times.