California Considering Ban On Flashy Digital Billboards
Keep your eyes on the road. Well, that's what you are supposed to do to reduce your risk of getting into a car accident. But we all know there are many distractions as we cruise from place to place: kids, music, mobile phones, aggressive drivers, etc... Let's not forget....billboards. Yes, those flashy digital bilboards now so common throughout Sacramento and California are now being scrutinized by our state legislature.
Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, has introduced a bill to prohibit new digital billboards in California until results are in from a federal study examining whether these flashy roadside advertisements are a dangerous distraction to drivers. Feuer said, "It is a simple, common sense matter to put public safety first. We ought to know the results before we allow more of them."
In Sacramento, message-changing billboards that are the kind being evaluated in the study can be found at Cal Expo and Sacramento State. Are they a dangerous distraction to drivers? They could be if drivers are more focused on the flashy billboards than they are on other drivers.
There is opposition to the prohibition and potential ban, particularly from the film industry, which does not want to see their promotional creativity limited. A Clear Channel advertising company representative reminded legislators the digital billborads can also be used to quickly show kids' photos during Amber Alerts.
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