Semi-nude models diverting motorists

LONDON: Watch Out Boys! Almost a quarter of British motorists admit they have been so distracted by roadside billboards of semi-naked models that they have veered dangerously out of their lane.
Research released on Monday said one in five male drivers said their eyes were diverted from the road by posters of scantily clad women ��� such as model Eva Herzigova���s famous adverts for Wonderbra which bore the tagline "Hello Boys".
However only one in 10 women were put off by the sight of a semidressed male model.
"There is a growing body of concern about the lack of any coherent strategy for arranging roadside furniture," said Mark Young, an expert in transport ergonomics from Brunel University.
He said novel advertising could cause a significant risk of distracting drivers at crucial times, such as going round a difficult roundabout.
"In fact, this risk is probably underestimated and we need to do more research on the possibility of excluding non-essential information when the driver is already busy dealing with the road," he said.
The study, by Privilege Insurance, said a 5-second distraction at 60 mph equated to driving at least the length of a football pitch without fully concentrating.
Ian Parker of Privilege Insurance 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."