The effects of commercial electronic variable message signs (CEVMS) on driver attention and distraction : an update

Molino, John A.; Wachtel, Jerry; Farbry, John E.; Hermosillo, Megan B.; Granda, Thomas M. · 2009 · ROSA P / Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center

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Summary

This report, published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2009, addresses the potential safety impacts of Commercial Electronic Variable Message Signs (CEVMS), also known as digital or electronic billboards, on driver attention and distraction. The research was motivated by the rapid adoption of digital Light-Emitting Diode (LED) technologies for outdoor advertising, which necessitated a reevaluation of existing regulations established under the Highway Beautification Act of 1965. The primary research question is whether the presence of CEVMS along roadways is associated with a reduction in driving safety, specifically through increased crash rates, safety surrogate behaviors, or excessive driver distraction. The study employs a comprehensive literature review methodology, updating previous FHWA findings from 1980 and 2001. It categorizes existing research into post-hoc crash studies, field investigations, laboratory investigations, and reviews of practice. The authors analyze key independent variables (sign characteristics) and dependent variables (safety indicators such as crash rates, eye glance duration, and traffic conflicts). Furthermore, the report evaluates three candidate methodologies for future empirical research: on-road instrumented vehicle studies, naturalistic driving studies, and unobtrusive observation studies. Based on an analysis of advantages and disadvantages, the report recommends the on-road instrumented vehicle approach as the optimal method for an initial research stage. The review of existing literature yields mixed and often inconclusive results. Post-hoc crash studies showed conflicting outcomes; for instance, a Wisconsin Department of Transportation study reported significant increases in side-swipe and rear-end crashes near an electronic billboard, while a study sponsored by the outdoor advertising industry found no statistically significant difference in crash rates after converting conventional billboards to digital ones. Field investigations using eye-tracking devices indicated that active signs attract more attention than static signs. One study found that 22% of glances at advertising signs exceeded 0.75 seconds, a duration considered potentially unsafe, while another noted that digital billboards attracted longer glances than conventional ones, particularly at night. However, these studies were often limited by small sample sizes or artificial experimental conditions. Public surveys suggested that a majority of respondents perceived video advertising as negatively affecting traffic safety. The report concludes that no single experiment has definitively resolved the safety concerns associated with CEVMS. It proposes a three-stage research program to address these gaps: Stage 1 to determine distraction levels, Stage 2 to establish a basis for regulation, and Stage 3 to assess relationships to crashes. The authors emphasize that while crashes are rare and difficult to measure, safety surrogate measures and eye glance behaviors offer viable alternatives for assessing risk. The findings are intended to guide highway engineers, regulators, and policymakers in developing evidence-based regulations for the control of digital outdoor advertising.

Key finding

Active digital signs consistently receive longer and more frequent eye glances than static billboards, with some glances exceeding established safety thresholds for duration and line-of-sight angle.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• external distraction
• visual
• distraction detection algorithms
• useful field of view
• visual occlusion
• inattentional change blindness

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data
• Methodological Resource: tool software, measurement protocol