| Abstract: | Outdoor advertising signs impact millions of travelers around the world every day. These signs are designed to attract driver attention, thus taking it away from the driving task. Driver inattention and distraction are two critical factors for road safety. Regulation of outdoor advertising signs must deal with changing technologies, including digital billboards, which allow for modifications to sign illumination, motion, and content. Regulations are not keeping pace with changing sign trends and must be updated to address potential impacts on-road user safety. This research project focused on the degree of driver distraction caused by typical and digital advertising signs and potential safety impacts of that distraction. The project included a comprehensive state-of-the-practice review, crash investigation, and an on-road human factors evaluation. The research team located each of the digital billboards in Texas and used those locations in the crash investigation and human factors site selection process. The research team also evaluated the nighttime lighting levels of digital and standard billboards along the human factors evaluation route. The research team used the study findings to make recommendations and provide guidance to better regulate digital billboards to minimize negative impacts on safety to the traveling public. The research team also recommended additional areas of digital signing where research or regulation may be needed. |
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