Official fun brakes ban funny highway signs. Here are some of the best

The time has come: the American Highway Authority Federal Highway Administration the laughter is gone. The most recently published guidelines for road safety information on highways state: “Warning signs should avoid language that uses pop culture references or humor.”

You know – things like this:

Damn. Such a government agency can really stop you from having fun at all! You’re not even allowed to laugh at an awkward joke while stuck in traffic.

The reason: Apparently, such warning messages are intended to have a distracting effect. In fact, funny information signs would not, as actually intended, contribute to greater safety on the highways, but would actually increase the risk of accidents, as many motorists apparently take out their mobile phones to take a snapshot as they drive by.

This claim stands in contrast to a 2020 Virginia Department of Transportation study that appears to prove that the funny signs attract the most cognitive attention compared to more conventional (read: boring) safety signs. The federal agency’s response claims that this is exactly the problem. Such signals are often confusing – especially for people who do not understand the possible references, thus diverting more attention from driving.

In other words, federal authorities think you’re stupid.

Be that as it may, this is a done deal at the federal level, as several sources confirm. The respective states have two years to implement all changes in the new guidelines – including eliminating the funny warning labels, … which is now reason enough to look back on some classics:

Strap in!

And: camping is in nature, not in the left lane!

Well, the thing about using the turn signal…

…there are quite a few.

Here’s a warning sign on Valentine’s Day:

And here’s one about Thanksgiving:

You are the problem.

Oh, a classic!

No highway information signs, but warning signs from all over the world: Have fun!

Okay, okay, not necessarily a funny sign, but further proof that everything, absolutely everything, can be improved with the addition of googly eyes.