Digital billboards may be dangerous for drivers

May 24 2019      On Behalf of  David M. Duree & Associates, P.C.      Personal Injury

Safety experts and advertisers are sometimes at odds when it comes to the use of billboards along the road. This is especially true with newer, digital billboards.

After all, the goal of a billboard has always been to attract eyes. The more people who read it, the better exposure it gets and the more sales it creates. Just how many people buy products based on billboard advertising is debatable. However, companies want to get as many eyes on their ads as possible. Digital billboards use:

• Bright lights
• Flashing lights
• Bright colors
• Rotating images
• Striking content

All of these elements are designed to get more people to look at the billboards than would look at the older, image-driven designs.

However, that’s exactly what safety experts are concerned about. They note that flashing lights sometimes draw people’s eyes instinctively. Drivers may not even notice that they about looking away from the road. It happens automatically. That’s why we use them on emergency vehicles and warning signs.

Is using that same technology to sell a product an unneeded danger? If a driver is trying to be safe and avoid distractions, but then digital billboards are pulling their eyes off of the road, does that put everyone at risk?

Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about distracted driving and how risky it can be. It’s important to remember that there are far more distractions for drivers than just cellphones. You also need to know what legal rights you have to compensation if you suffer injuries in a crash that was caused by a distracted driver.