DelDOT channeling humor to drive home serious message

DOVER, Delaware (WPVI) -- At some point during our summer road trips, we may have encountered some witty traffic signs on highways.

Delaware DOT is driving home the laughs while delivering serious messages to slow down and drive safely.

"Irish you would slow down," reads one overhead traffic sign

Another says, "You're not a sparkler, don't drive lit."

They're concise and often deliver a little chuckle.

Delaware Department of Transportation's Scott Neidert is the man behind the creative content.

"We did start out as using the vanilla plain safety messages: 'Buckle up, don't drink and drive.' We felt like they weren't resonating with people so we wanted to turn the volume up a little bit and integrate pop culture, sports, movies."

Neidert, who is a traffic safety engineer by trade for DelDOT, says there are a lot of elements to his job, but this is one of his most entertaining.

"There's no process, it's myself and one or two folks coming up with these on a whim," he says. "Not only are we going for the people who are seeing them directly, but we also like to think those drivers or motorists see them and talk about them to others."

Some critics say motorists are driven to distraction by some traffic signs.

Earlier this year, the Federal Highway Administration issued new rules for electronic displays. It does not include a ban on humor, but rather advises states to phase out signs that could require drivers "greater time to process."

"My biggest thing is to slow down. We've seen speeds go through the roof," said Neidert.