How Colorado is saving lives, one funny road sign at a time

Meet the guy who helps keep Colorado drivers’ heads out of their apps, Sam Cole.

Those funny road signs that remind Coloradans to buckle up, keep their eyes on the road and stay off their phone are in part crafted by Cole, a traffic safety communications manager at the Colorado Department of Transportation. Colorado is one of many states that deploy humor on the front lines of road safety in hopes of getting people talking and thinking about safe driving.

After a sharp spike in road fatalities in 2015, CDOT got to work getting the road safety message out there.

“We at CDOT knew we needed to do something different to capture the public’s attention,” Cole said about the start of the project.

Colorado is not alone in taking the funny road sign approach. States such as Massachusetts and Iowa have been powerhouses of roadway puns since the trend started, said Amy Ford, CDOT’s communications director. States across the country have set up a oneliner consortium of sorts to share their handy work.

Arizona crowd sources their wit in a yearly contest of dadjokes turned into safety messages.

“Hello from the other side, buckle up and stay alive,” read one Adelethemed Arizona sign.

Some of Cole’s favorite messages that have been displayed around Colorado have had Star Wars, Pokemon and Ghostbusters themes.

“The force is strong, don’t text and drive,” read one.

“Beware the Pokemon, put down the phone,” read another.

Cole’s personal favorite: “Who you gonna call? No one, you’re driving.”

Lifesaving jokes have been translated abroad to countries such as India. With more than a billion people and more cars hitting the already trafficclogged roads each year, a chuckle helps break through the road rage.

“Speed is a knife that cuts life,” read one sign along the winding roads in the highmountain regions of India.

“Road is hilly, don’t be silly,” read another.

CDOT wants to be “provocative” and “edgy” without offending people, said Cole. The switch from serious to lighthearted keeps things fresh without making fun of a deadly issue, he said.