Associated Press
ANDERSON, S.C. — South Carolina is starting a campaign against drinking and driving based on a trooper’s tweets using the little graphic icons called emojis on his smartphone.
The Anderson Independent-Mail reports the Highway Patrol already has 130 billboards up and will include Sgt. Bob Beres’ message at convenience stores and high school football tickets.
The emojis show an alcoholic drink, the plus sign and a car with an equal sign leading to a police car. The message is drinking plus driving equals arrest.
@TrooperBob_SCHP at the gas station ????? pic.twitter.com/3ibducg2DF
— You Guess (@youguess) June 25, 2016
Beres says emojis are a simple way to communicate. His mom is Hungarian and speaks little English, but she understands.
Beres says he started his emoji-based tweets in October after severe flooding in the state and noticed they got more attention than messages with just words.
1.???+?=????? 2. ???+?=missing☝?or ✋?+???? 3. ?+??=???&????❤️. Please celebrate responsibly this July 4th.
— Trooper Bob_SCHP (@TrooperBob_SCHP) June 23, 2016
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press
A good friend just sent me this picture of a gas pump handle. #DUIEmojimessage pic.twitter.com/9ya5XPp5CA
— Trooper Bob_SCHP (@TrooperBob_SCHP) June 26, 2016
SC troopers use emojis to deliver drunk driving message #SCTweets @TrooperBob_SCHP https://t.co/LPOXPVbjrH pic.twitter.com/WmMYX0TdVs
— NBC Charlotte (@wcnc) June 25, 2016