Arizona's dust storm haikus

Transport officials in the US state of Arizona are getting the message out about dust storm safety - in precisely 17 syllables.

The Arizona Department of Transportation is encouraging Twitter users to tweet haikus around the theme safe driving in haboobs - severe dust storms that hit Phoenix in the summer.

An example, from Phoenix resident Mindy Lee, who goes by the Twitter handle mindyblee: "Haboobs blow through town / In one instant it is dark / Pull over and wait."

Transportation department spokesman Timothy Tait says the agency was looking for a creative way to engage residents in its Pull Aside Stay Alive campaign.

So far they've seen more than 30 entries and are re-tweeting some of the best ones.

The haiku challenge runs until Friday. Tweeters are asked to include the hashtag #HaboobHaiku.

- AP