Agenda - Council - 11/13/2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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review. For dynamic signs requiring a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), the standard process for public notification and a public hearing before the planning commission should apply. 5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Driver distraction plays a significant role in traffic safety. Driver distraction is a factor in one in four crashes, and of those crashes involving driver distraction, one in four involves distractions outside the vehicle. The extent to which dynamic signage contributes to traffic safety has been examined in this study. Following are some of the major findings from a review of available research. • Drivers that are subjected to information -rich content that is irrelevant to the driving task (such as digital advertising) may be temporarily distracted enough to cause a degradation in their driving performance. This degradation could lead to a crash. • The unlimited variety of changing content allows dynamic signage to attract drivers' attention at greater distances and hold their attention longer than traditional static billboards. • Several studies have found a correlation between crashes and the complexity of the driving environment. For example, crash rates are higher at intersections because the difficulty of the driving task is increased by the roadway's complexity. Complex driving environments place a high demand on drivers' attention. Introducing a source of distraction in an already demanding driving environment is more likely to result in crashes. This is illustrated by the 1994 Wisconsin DOT study that examined crash rates before and after installation of an electronic sign on a high -volume curving roadway. Introduction of this sign was identified as a likely factor of the 80 percent increase in side -swipe crashes that was experienced. • Many studies have noted a correlation between outdoor advertising signs and crash rates, but have not established a causal relationship between the signs and crash rates. Driving is a complex task influenced by multiple factors. It is not necessary to establish a direct causal relationship between outdoor advertising signs and crash rates to show that they can make the driving task less safe. While the research shows that driver distraction is a key factor in many motor vehicle crashes, this often includes many interacting factors that distract drivers. The specific driver distraction danger that advertising signs contribute is difficult to quantify. A study that could control for multiple variables (human factors, vehicle, enforcement and the roadway environment) would be needed to provide a definitive statement on the level of driver distraction that signs produce. Such a study would likely find that not all advertising signs cause distraction that would lead to crashes, but some signs in some situations are more likely to contribute to crashes than others. Overall, the literature review conducted for the purpose of this study identifies a relationship between driver distraction and electronic outdoor advertising devices. As indicated, driver distraction is a significant factor in crashes. The purpose of dynamic signage is to attract the attention of people in vehicles, so a natural conclusion from that knowledge is that drivers may be distracted by them. Professional traffic engineering judgment concludes that driver distraction generally contributes to a reduction in safe driving characteristics. 25