Transcript Jerry Wachtel—Veridian Group Digital Billboards

Digital Billboards:
What we Know Now
Presented to ASHTO SCOTE
Manchester, New Hampshire
Jerry Wachtel, The Veridian Group, Inc.
June 16, 2009
Inattention vs. Distraction
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A driver may be inattentive for many reasons –
daydreaming, lost in thought, drowsiness, etc.
Distraction - when a driver is delayed in the
recognition of information needed to safely
accomplish the driving task, because something
within or outside the vehicle draws attention away
from driving.
It is the presence of a “triggering event” that
distinguishes distraction from inattention.
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In short:
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Inattention is passive
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Distraction is active (although it could be
unconscious)
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Drivers can be inattentive at any time and without
reason
Drivers engage in many distractions – most of
which we cannot control
As an example…
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But roadside advertising as a
distractor is something that we
can control.
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Why are DBBs Different?
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The human eye is hard-wired to be drawn to the
brightest objects in the scene and to those that
display motion, or apparent motion.
This phenomenon is sometimes called phototaxis or
phototropism.
 Recent research (e.g. Theeuwes) shows that this
response is both is automatic and unavoidable.
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DBBs use both brightness and movement to
capture attention.
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This DBB is Shown from a Distance of Six Miles
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How Else do DBBs Differ from
Conventional Billboards?
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Size potential – one sign is 90 x 65 ft; 165 ft high
Compelling photo-realistic/broadcast imagery
Intermittency and image change at will
Potential for message sequencing
Potential for interactivity with driver
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My Biases:
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I have worked for the industry, including
OAAA, NESA, and large outdoor advertising
firms such as Lamar and Infinity.
I have worked for local governments in
developing and defending sign ordinances.
I have performed research for Government and
industry alike.
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My Work Leads to These
Conclusions:
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Billboards have gone from paintings on barns, to print
on poster paper, to vinyl sheets, and now to digital
displays.
It’s not the technology of the display that should
concern us, but the manner in which that display is
used
We’re not concerned because they are digital, but
because of their operational characteristics coupled
with their location.
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In Other Words:
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IF a DBB was set to a luminance level appropriate to
the ambient environment in which it is viewed, and
IF the DBB message change interval was such that no
driver saw more than one such change, and
IF we ensured that location restrictions (e.g. interchange
areas, horizontal curves, merges, lane drops, etc.) were
truly enforced,
THEN we should not be particularly concerned about
safety impacts due to distraction.
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Recent Research
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In recent years, independent
research studies have been
conducted in several
countries:
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U.S.
Netherlands
England
Scotland
South Africa
Australia
Brazil
Finland
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Studies have included:
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Laboratory
Simulation
On-road
Interviews and focus
groups
Post-hoc crash analyses
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The Research is Quite Clear
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The more recent the research, the stronger the
findings, and
The stronger the theoretical basis for
understanding the nature of the problem
Drivers’ eyes off the road for 1.6 seconds or longer
leads to a substantially higher crash rate
 DBBs can attract drivers’ eyes for longer than 1.6
seconds, and dramatically longer than for
conventional billboards.
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Only Two Recent Studies Show No
Adverse Safety Impact
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Tantala and Tantala
Virginia Tech
Both sponsored by the outdoor advertising industry
 Both severely criticized in peer review
 Both rejected for presentation or publication by
TRB
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Ironically, the Virginia Tech human factors study
found substantial degradation in eye glance
behavior and did not report it.
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The Virginia Tech Data on Long Eye Glances – as Reported
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Glances longer than 1.6 sec = 6% of all glances
Glances longer than 2.0 sec = 2% of all glances
Glances longer than 3.0 sec = 0% of all glances
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Glances longer than 1.6 sec. = 9% of all glances
Glances longer than 2.0 sec = 5% of all glances
Glances longer than 3.0 sec = 0% of all glances
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Glances of 1.6 sec or longer = 21% of all glances
Glances of 2.0 sec or longer = 10% of all glances
Glances of 3.0 sec or longer = 2% of all glances
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Glances of 1.6 sec or longer = 13% of all glances
Glances of 2.0 sec or longer = 7% of all glances
Glances of 3.0 sec or longer = 3% of all glances
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Summary of Unanalyzed VA-Tech Data
Glances Glances Glances
> 1.6s > 2.0s > 3.0s
Baseline
(No billboard)
6%
2%
0%
Conventional
(Traditional billboard)
9%
5%
0%
Comparison
(Digital on premise)
21%
10%
2%
Digital billboard
13%
7%
3%
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Conclusions – Unreported
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DBBs and comparison sites (mostly on-premise
DBBs) together produced:
2X as many glances > 1.6 seconds as baseline sites
and conventional billboards (34% - 15%)
 2.5X as many glances > 2.0 seconds as baseline and
conventional sites (17% - 7%)
 5% of glances > 3.0 seconds – no such glances were
made to baseline or conventional sites.
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From a pilot study, the authors predicted
significantly worse DBB performance at night.
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On-Premise Signs:
What’s Wrong with This Picture?
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The Virginia Tech study found, as expected, that on-premise
digital signs were as bad as, if not worse than, DBBs
HBA regulates billboards, not on-premise signs
These are left to local governments, typically through zoning
and land use
But, on premise signs may be:
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Bigger
Brighter
Closer to the ROW
Contain full motion video
At or near interchanges, curves, etc.
If our concern is driver distraction, isn’t the potential just as
high, or higher, for on-premise signs?
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The World’s Largest Digital Billboard: 90’ x 65’ atop a 165’ Post
– Visible for more than 2 Miles Along I-495 in NYC
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Advertising Signs on the ROW:
What Does the MUTCD Say?
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Section 1A.01: “Traffic control devices or their
supports shall not bear any advertising messages
or any other message that is not related to traffic
control.”
Section 1A.02, requires that TCDs: “fulfill a
need,” “convey a clear, simple meaning,” and
“command respect from road users.”
Section 2E.21: “Changeable message signs shall
display pertinent traffic operational and
guidance information only, not advertising.”
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What did Dudek Find?
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Recent NCHRP study on the use of CMS
during non-incident, non-roadwork periods.
States and toll authorities reported pressure to
display public service messages, safety
campaigns, and advertisements, often against the
wishes of safety personnel
There are excellent guidelines available for
design and operation of CMSs – not always
followed.
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Other Lessons from Dudek
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Long messages (e.g. telephone numbers, websites,
license plate numbers) take too long to read and may
cause drivers to slow
Messages “irrelevant” to traffic safety/flow are strongly
opposed by motorists
Change blindness can occur if a message has changed
from irrelevant to relevant
Loss of credibility when CMSs display untimely or
irrelevant messages
These are the very characteristics of advertising signs.
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The proposed DBB-CMS location in the opposite direction
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The Next Challenge:
DBBs on Vehicles Moving in Traffic
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New companies offer DBBs to be displayed on
trucks in the traffic stream.
Some use 40’ trailers with huge LED screens
displaying full motion video.
Some governmental agencies are using this
technology on public buses and trolleys.
Some jurisdictions have amended their sign
codes to prohibit such commercial displays.
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And, Next on the
Horizon – Interactive
Billboards
This sign sends a personalized message
to the approaching driver
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An Interactive Billboard in Belgium
1. The driver sends an SMS using a code from the sign
2. The billboard sends a return message with a question
3. The driver messages a response to the question
4. A correct answer causes the billboard to act like a pinball
machine – the driver is entered into a drawing; a wrong answer
causes the billboard to “tilt.”
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New Research and Regulatory Activity
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FHWA has begun its on-road research study.
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It will use an instrumented vehicle and highly sophisticated
eye movement recording system
Research will be done in two different cities
Data collection should start this fall
FHWA has begun an “International Scan” to learn
about activities in other countries
TRB Digital Signage subcommittee will develop
research needs statements for on-premise and on-road
DBBs – we hope for AASHTO support
But there is no concerted effort to address interactive
DBBs or DBBs on moving vehicles.
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Driver distraction is an increasing concern
– we can’t control all of it…
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But it is within our purview to control
some of it…
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Thanks very much for your
attention.
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