Near-nude models on billboards 'pose risk to drivers'

ROADSIDE distractions ranging from advertisements featuring scantily-clad women to Christmas lights are ruining motorists' concentration, with a quarter admitting to veering out of their lane while driving.

A survey of 2,000 adults in the UK showed that one in four had admitted veering out of their lane because their attention had wandered to an off-road object.

Advertisements, flashing signs and Christmas decorations caused a third of motorists to lose concentration, the poll found.

Many motorists said that they were distracted for up to five seconds, which equates to the length of a football pitch if the car was travelling at 60mph.

Male drivers were more likely to be distracted by scantily-clad women on advertisements than women were to pictures of scantily-clad men, the study found.

Ian Parker, of Privilege Insurance, which conducted the poll, said: "It appears that the development of new technologies, products and advertising techniques is getting in the way of road safety.

"The implications of the increase in eye-catching roadside objects such as illuminating signs has not been monitored until today."

Dr Mark Young, an expert in transport at Brunel University, commented: "While we know a lot more about in-vehicle distractions such as mobile phones, there is a growing body of concern about the lack of any coherent strategy for arranging roadside furniture."