Scenic America urges US states to restrict distracting highway billboards

Scenic America president Mark Falzone is calling for fewer highway billboards, arguing that they distract drivers and spoil natural views. The campaign matters because billboards are widespread across the United States, and the group says roadside trees also serve practical purposes that are lost when they are cut down to improve sign visibility.

Scenic America figures put Florida first, with more than 32,000 permitted billboards, followed by Texas with about 24,000, Michigan with 23,000, Ohio with 19,000 and Pennsylvania with 18,000. Alaska, Hawaii, Maine and Vermont have banned billboards; Vermont was first, in 1968. A law-firm study cited in the article ranked Mississippi highest for out-of-vehicle distractions and road deaths per 100 million miles, though Falzone says some places, such as Times Square and Route 1 in Saugus, Massachusetts, are known for their signs.