Presented at First international conference on driver distraction and inattention (DDI 2009), Gothenburg, Sweden, September 28-29, 2009

Outdoor advertising has existed along the roadside since nearly the dawn of the automobile. From painted messages on barns to today’s computer-operated, LED displays capable of high definition video, advertisers have long recognized the value of a “captive audience” - the drivers who must pass their signs. Seventy years of research into concerns about driver distraction from roadside advertising displays has traditionally yielded conflicting results, although the most recent studies show degraded performance and unacceptable levels of distraction, as measured by long glances away from the forward roadway. This paper describes the latest research findings and the state-of-the-art of this technology, and suggests implications for public policy and future research needs.