This week Wendy Levitt at Fleet Owner found out more about something that’s starting to worry many industry leaders – the effects of digital billboards on the attention of drivers. So they’re going to present their case to the Transportation Research Board in Washington D.C. this month.
What’s the big deal about digital billboards?
It all comes down to motion that truck drivers will pick up in their periphery that takes their attention away from the road at critical times, because usually the billboards that have quick motion and bright colors are in heavy traffic areas. This conclusion is based on some research the Swedish government did in 2009, and replicated by American research teams from Virginia Tech a few years prior.
The study performed by Virginia Tech teams found that anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road for more than two seconds greatly increases the risk of a crash. The study also found that nearly 80% of all crashes involved driver inattention just prior to (within 3 seconds) of the crash.
Read more articles about Highway Safety issues in the trucking industry.