Government Science GREEN-LIGHTS Digital Billboards It took years, but the federal government now says digital billboards are not distracting. "On average, the drivers in this study devoted between 73 percent and 85 percent of their visual attention to the road ahead for both CEVMS (Commercial Electronic Variable Message Signs) and standard billboards," the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) study noted. "This range is consistent with earlier field research studies. In the present study, the presence of CEVMS did not appear to be related to a decrease in looking toward the road ahead." By Ken Klein Background As a matter of course, new ideas and new products prompt questions about safety. In early 2009, the FHWA published an 87-page report, pointing to the need for more research on digital billboards. "The basic research question," the study noted, "is whether the presence of CEVMS along the roadway is associated with a reduction in driving safety for the public." contributors from our 8 | out of home magazine | march | april 2014