The daysof humorous signs on freeways and highways are numbered, but California roads really weren't that hilarious to begin with.
Driving the news: The Federal Highway Administration is phasing out funny messaging over the next couple years, saying it could "adversely affect respect for the sign," Axios' Shauneen Miranda writes.
Details: States have two years to implement the new guidelines, according to the administration in its updated manual released last month.
The administration, a division of the Department of Transportation, said signs should avoid messaging with "obscure or secondary meanings," including pop culture references or anything "intended to be humorous."
The big picture: Federal officials have regarded these fun messages as a hazard for years, arguing they might impose certain safety risks due to distractions or even confusion among drivers, per the Washington Post.
Zoom in: The California Department of Transportation already primarily uses those electronic changeable signs for traffic management.
Any messaging aside from that is usually part of a larger media campaign, such as "Tailgating Is for Football Not Highways," which officials say follow federal guidelines.
