South Dakota shutters 'Don't Jerk and Drive' campaign because of double entendre
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South Dakota will no longer be telling drivers: "Don't Jerk and Drive."
The South Dakota Department of Public Safety launched the campaign to raise awareness about how dangerous it can be for drivers to overcorrect with their steering wheel when they hit icy patches on roads. But as the Argus Leader noted, the campaign "played on the double meaning of the word 'jerk,' which can also be a euphemism for masturbation."
Officials admitted that they were aware of the double entendre and hoped it would gain the campaign some additional notice, but feedback from drivers was apparently less positive than they hoped, so officials shut down the ads.
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Lucky for us all, the video is still up on the campaign's website. Check it out and have a giggle, here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
