MDOT announces safety message winners

JACKSON, Miss. (WDAM) - New traffic safety messages will be unveiled Friday on Mississippi’s highways and interstates, including a trio culled from a statewide contest.

The top three were selected from hundreds of submissions in a Mississippi Department of Transportation-sponsored contest that was open to the public from June 1 through June 15.

The winning messages will be displayed on (digital message) boards statewide starting Friday.

“MDOT’s DMS boards are a fun and unique way to interact with the public while promoting safe driving,” said Brad White, MDOT executive director. “We received so much positive feedback throughout this contest.

“Thank you to everyone who participated and submitted their ideas.”

Hundreds of entries were submitted. MDOT narrowed them down to the top three, including this entry from Sumrall from Sumrall: .

Among this year’s top three messages was one turned in by Daniel Sumrall of Sumrall: “My car doesn’t/jiggle or fold/because I drive sober.”

Also in the top three were: “A heavy foot/will lead to/an empty wallet,” by Angie Pope of Kosciusko, and “We get/a little bitter/when people litter,” by Marie Sefco of Brandon.

MDOT’s traffic safety messages, which are often related to current events or pop culture, are part of an effort to encourage drivers to change their actions behind the wheel.

The safety messages appear on digital message signs on highways and interstates throughout Mississippi.

More than 90 percent of vehicle crashes are caused by driver decisions, such as driving aggressively, driving distracted, driver impairment or speeding.

For more information on safe driving and for updated traffic information, visit MDOTtraffic.com or like and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and Twitter.

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