You’ve probably seen a recent meme on Facebook directing
drivers that, because of current winter conditions, they should “drive with
cake.” Or you’ve seen some of the Texas
road signs such as “Only Rudolph Should Drive Lit” or “The Eyes of Texas Are
Upon You, Buckle Up.” These types of signs
have been created by both the Texas Department of Transportation and/or the
U.S. Department of Transportation to encourage drivers to be careful driving on
state and federal highways. However, soon you will no longer be able to see these
signs. In the recently updated manual of
the U.S. Federal Highway Administration , guidelines were published banning
them. Electronic signs with
"obscure meanings, references to pop culture or those intended to be
funny" are required to be phased out within the next couple of years and
all signs must be "simple, direct, brief, legible and clear," to
"relay important information."
These changes were released by the U.S. Department of Transportation
on December 19, 2023 and published in the Federal Register on the same
day. (The Federal Register daily publishes
changes to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations.) The regulations went into effect on January
18, 2024.
Although these new regulations may make your driving
experience less entertaining, the Houston Chronicle has reported that when
electronic traffic signs report information other than current traffic situations
or weather conditions, such as the number of fatalities on Texas roads up to a
certain date, risk of traffic accidents increases.
