PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is inviting the public to submit engaging traffic safety messages for the ninth year in its Safety Message Contest. Submissions are open through Sept. 22 at azdot.gov/SignContest.
This contest is an opportunity for Arizonans to see their creative safety messages displayed on ADOT’s dynamic message signs statewide, kickstarting conversations about safe driving behaviors.
“Safety is ADOT’s top priority and it’s our mission to safely connect Arizonans to where they want to go,” ADOT Director Jennifer Toth said. “The Safety Message Contest is an engaging way to help remind all of us to make better decisions behind the wheel and I look forward to seeing what creative messages the public comes up with.”
Here’s how the contest works: The public can submit their ideas at azdot.gov/SignContest as many times as they’d like through Sept. 22. After that, ADOT will review the entries and select at least 10 finalists for the public to vote on. The two messages that get the most votes will be the winners and appear on overhead boards on Arizona’s highways.
Keep these guidelines in mind when crafting a message:
- The message must relate to traffic safety.
- Signs accommodate 3 lines, 18 characters per line.
- #Hashtags, phone numbers, emojis and website addresses are not allowed.
- Ampersands (&) are allowed and can save character space.
ADOT displays traffic safety messages as part of an ongoing effort to engage Arizonans about making better decisions behind the wheel. National crash data shows about 90% of vehicle crashes are caused by driver decisions, which include drivers choosing to speed, drive distracted or impaired.
According to statewide crash data, there were 1,228 people killed in crashes on Arizona’s roads in 2024 and many of these deaths were preventable. Last year, 347 people died in alcohol-related crashes and speeding was a factor cited in crashes that led to 417 fatalities. Choosing to slow down, not drive impaired makes travel safer for everyone on the roads.
