A SPECIAL MESSAGE in men’s bathrooms – featuring an attention-getting woman’s voice and coming from a talking urinal cake – will be used to battle drink driving in parts of Michigan.

Talking urinal-deodoriser cakes will be distributed in several areas including Detroit, state officials announced. A recorded message will play reminding men who step up to the urinals to call a cab or a friend, if needed, to get home safely.

“Not only do we want to turn some heads and get people talking, we hope everyone takes the message to heart,” Michael L Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, said in a statement.

The urinal cakes will be motion activated. This ITN report shows them in action:

YouTube/Duudeabides1

“At first it may be seen as humorous, but the seriousness of the message will stand out and encourage patrons to find a safe ride home,” said Michigan Licensed Beverage Association Executive Director Scott T Ellis.

Talking urinal cakes have been used in other states for similar efforts.

- Additional reporting by Michael Freeman