INTRO: Attention-grabbing signs that remind drivers of highway mortality can backfire in unexpected ways, according to a new study. When cars in Texas zoom past crash statistics – like '1669 deaths this year on Texas roads' – researchers found drivers are 4.5 percent more likely to get in a crash in the next 10 kilometers (6.21 miles).
In Texas alone, that accident rate could account for 2,600 crashes a year and an additional 16 fatalities. If the same rate exists nationwide, it's possible road fatality reminders could be causing 17,000 car crashes in the US every year.
"Our study shows that salient, generic, in-your-face safety messages delivered to drivers crowd out more pressing safety concerns," the authors conclude. While traffic signs about road safety might seem helpful or innocuous, there's a chance they are distracting drivers in a way that is more of a disaster than a deterrent... (MORE - details)
Apr 25, 2022 05:05 PM
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