No joke: Feds are banning humorous electronic messages on highways

It’s no joke. Humorous and quirky messages on electronic signs will soon disappear from highways and freeways across the country. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has given states two years to implement all the changes outlined in its new 1,100-page manual released last month, including rules that spells out how signs and other traffic control devices are regulated. Administration officials said overhead electronic signs with obscure meanings, references to pop culture or those intended to be funny will be banned in 2026 because they can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers.

tips

humorous 幽默

quirky 古怪的；离奇的（quirk 古怪）

spell 拼写；一段时间

regulate 管控；调节

overhead n. 经常开支；a. 头顶的；高架的

distract 转移，分心

distracting 令人分心的