Are Distracting Digital Billboards Causing Auto Accidents?

Recently, Ms. Rebekah Warren, State Representative from Ann Arbor, introduced a proposal to the legislature to place a two year moratorium on building more digital billboards in the State of Michigan.  Ms. Warren stated:  “We are moving so quickly into this digital age...We are being cautious in state legislatures around the country on how we keep drivers focused on the road."  Across the country 15 cities have banned digital billboards and 6 cities have placed moratoriums on constructing more based on the belief that digital billboards are specifically designed to draw drivers' attention from the road.  Currently, the Federal Highway Administration is conducting a study using instrumentation that tracts drivers' eyes to determine how much of a risk digital billboards pose to the average driver based on how long the eyes are distracted from the road.  The study should be completed by the end of the summer. No conclusive studies have been done thus far to determine how much of a risk digital billboards actually pose and whether there is a marked increase in accidents near currently existing digital billboards.
See our website for more information on dangers of distracted driving:
http://www.michiganautoaccident.com/Practice-Area/Rear-End-Collisions.shtml