A lyric from Taylor Swift’s new song is being used to try to stop people looking at their phones while driving.
Overhead signs in Iowa read: “Old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now… she’s driving.”
On Look What You Made Me Do, Taylor Swift sings: “I’m sorry, the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now.. Why? ‘Cos she’s dead.”
Iowa Department of Transport has started using the adapted lyric as part of its “zero fatalities” campaign.
The state has a new theme every Monday and drivers are encouraged to send in their safety ideas for the state’s 70 permanent overhead boards.
The messages are only 18 characters long and are over three lines, so have to be snappy to grab drivers’ attention.
In 2016, 404 people were killed on Iowa’s roads and officials are using the campaign to try to reduce that number.
Last year officials used the Pokemon Go craze to highlight road deaths.
And in 2015 Star Wars: The Force Awakens was used on overhead gantries.
The zero fatalities campaign in Iowa has been going since 2013.
The overhead signs usually carry information about road closures and traffic jams.
If you don’t get the message today – ask the nearest millennial. http://www.transportationmatters.iowadot.gov/2017/10/message-monday-old-taylor-cant-come-to-the-phoneshes-driving.html …
The force is strong with the Iowa Department of Transportation. #TheForceAwakens #StarWars
@TheWookieeRoars the IOWA DOT had jokes up their sleeves today #StarWars #letthewookieewin
