The Missouri Department of Transportation is launching a signs campaign to warn drivers to put down their cellphones.

MoDOT is using more than 250 message signs on interstate and major highways to warn drivers about the dangers of texting while driving.

According to MoDOT Last year, 757 people were killed in vehicle crashes on Missouri highways. Since 2014, there have been 550 deaths. The agency said speeding, impaired driving, not wearing seatbelts and distracted driving were some of the leading causes.

MoDOT changes the messages each month to focus on seasonal issues or campaigns. October’s will include messages like: Unbuckled? Seriously”, “One Text or Call Could Wreck It All, It Can Wait”, “If You Can’t See Trucks Mirrors, They Can’t See You”, and “Drinking and Driving Don’t Mix.”

According to the National Traffic Safety Administration, sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field – blindfolded! Every two seconds your eyes are off the road, you are twice as likely to be in a crash.

“Messages like ‘Put Down Your Phone and Drive, It Can Wait’ or ‘Leave All Tailgating at the Game’ are designed to raise awareness of these driving behaviors,” said MoDOT Traffic Management and Operations Engineer Jon Nelson. “Driving is a serious task that demands your attention. We hope our sometimes humorous and interesting messages will remind drivers to refocus on the task at hand.”