Funny digital highway signs will soon be banned. Here are some of our favorites from NJ

As you traveled down a New Jersey highway over the holidays you may have noticed electronic billboards with driver alerts — and a distinctly New Jersey sense of humor and attitude — signaling for people to drive carefully or slow down.

Treasure those signs while you can. The Federal Highway Administration have put an end to overhead signs with a humorous twist — the ban goes into effect in 2026.

The agency says in its new manual that states will no longer be allowed to use humorous pop-culture references because they can be a distraction to drivers.

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Though the state's standup roadway comedy will come to an end, those cheeky messages will not be forgotten.

Here are some of our favorite New Jersey electronic highway messages.

Christmas related signs

The New Jersey Department of Transportation came up with a few clever messages during the holiday season. DOT posted for drivers such Christmas related warnings as "HO HO HO, please drive slow" and "Don't me a grinch, let them merge."

It's not the holidays until someone throws a sublimate diss to one famous dessert: "Reckless drivers are worse than fruitcake," one message read.

Other messages urged drivers not drive under the influence: "Only Rudolph should be lit, drive high get a DUI," and some warned drivers about distractions: "Santa's watching, put down the phone."

Some of our favorites came during the holiday season. We'll miss DOT's clever driving puns.

Classic New Jersey sarcasm

Everyone knows those from the Garden State are not afraid to show off their attitude. The NJ DOT perfectly puts that on display with one of their non-holiday messages that reads, "Nice car, did it come with a turn signal?" and "Get your head out of your apps."

The salty sense of humor screams New Jersey — and the electronic messages have created a buzz on social media. Those signs will always have a place in our heart.

Other straightforward or 'blunt' messages

Some messages did not have a theme like the holiday signs, but got their point across in other clever ways. One of our favorites was the sign that read, "We'll be blunt, don't drive high."

Others had a simple rhyme scheme like "Hocus pocus, drive with focus."

One message gave a shoutout to New Jersey legend Bruce Springsteen with the message, "Slow down. This ain’t Thunder Road,” referring to one of his famous songs.

An homage to Murphy

Gov. Phil Murphy often resorted to the phrase "knucklehead" when referring to those who did not obey safety guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOT used that saying across many electronic signs to emphasize social distancing, but to also spread awareness on safe driving.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Funny digital highway signs in NJ will soon be banned. Will miss these