Driving campaign pulled over ‘jerking’ innuendo

PIERRE, S.D. — South Dakota officials have canceled a public safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of jerking the steering wheel on icy roads, saying it’s too risque.

The Department of Public Safety has pulled the “Don’t Jerk and Drive” ads, which played on the double-meaning of the word “jerk.” Highway Safety Director Lee Axdahl told the Argus Leader earlier this week that the double meaning was intentional, to grab people’s attention.

He says the message is that the department would prefer drivers keep their cars out of the ditch and their mind out of the gutter.

But his boss, Public Safety Director Trevor Jones, says he’s pulling the social media and television ads. He says he doesn’t want innuendo to distract from the goal of saving lives on the road.