COLUMBUS – If you have a gift for wordplay, you have the opportunity to amuse thousands of your fellow motorists and perhaps even enjoy a taste of celebrity.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is looking for a few good messages.
Pro tip, if your vehicle isn't running properly, pull safely to the side of the road and call for assistance. Thankfully, no one was injured in this incident. pic.twitter.com/Fm85Kx0UVT
— Ohio Dept of Transportation (@ODOT_Statewide) June 5, 2018
ODOT is asking Ohioans to submit their wittiest, pithiest (and shortest) traffic safety messages, the best of which will be displayed on over 130 freeway message boards around the state, according to a solicitation tweeted by the agency this week.
Speaking of Twitter, veteran users of the social media site may have an inside track in the competition since they have honed their skills at delivering powerful messages in a small amount of words. The ODOT message must not exceed 51 characters limited to 17 characters for each of the three lines (think haiku).
The agency insists that qualifying entries must be related to traffic safety topics, such as speeding or wearing safety belts, and will receive “bonus points” if they address areas ODOT wants to emphasize, like high-risk driving behavior and serious types of crashes.
Entries will be “disqualified if it is defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, harassing, bullying, threatening or unlawful,” the agency’s website warns.
Winning messages will be displayed June 20-24.