Assessing the empirical evidence on the safety impact of Electronic Static Displays.

As technologies advance and pressure from the advertising industry increases, regulatory bodies around the world are looking to the research on the safety impact of electronic roadside advertising to guide policy. Unfortunately, research in this area is not straight forward. This paper discusses the range of complex issues that confront both researchers and consumers of research as they seek to understand the effects of Electronic Static Displays (ESDs) on driver distraction and safety. The nature of distraction and the complex relationship between distraction, driving performance and crashes contribute to the problems. To illustrate, the paper will draw on examples from the international research literature on ESDs. The implications for policy will be discussed.