Digital Billboards May Take Eyes off the Road

03/2/2010

Text messaging may not be the only distraction leading to auto accidents.

Digital roadside billboards can also cause drivers to take their eyes off the road, according to a recent report by the New York Times. While the billboard industry contends there is no research linking such devices to crashes, some people say they are more dangerous than cell phones.

"You can turn off your phone," Abby Dart, executive director of Scenic Michigan, told the newspaper. "The billboard gets your attention whether you want to give it or not."

A 2007 report by the Virginia Tech Institute of Technology showed that digital billboards do not increase driver distraction during the daytime. That same year, the Federal Highway Administration ruled that free-standing digital billboards do not violate restrictions on flashing or unreasonably bright light.

About 2,000 of the nation's 450,000 billboards are digitized, according to the report. While their prices have dropped, at $300,000 digital billboards can cost up to six times the amount of the most expensive regular billboard.

Accidents resulting from distracted driving may lead to higher auto insurance premiums. Many states already have bans on cell phone use while driving. Lawmakers in Michigan are currently considering legislation that would prohibit building of new digital billboards.

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