Although digital billboards only account for about 5,500 of the nearly 400,000 billboards nationwide, the ability to change the message on them instantly is increasing their importance. The benefits of digital billboard technology have already been realized and put to use here in Georgia. Last year, digital billboards were used to alert motorists to the ice storms that were about to hit around Atlanta. Now, several other states are starting to take advantage of the immediate messaging that digital billboards can provide. Officials in Florida and Oklahoma are also using the digital billboards there for the same purposes.
The director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Brian Koon, says the billboards fit right into the department’s plan of action. “One of the big things we do in emergency management is to try to get life saving information to people as quickly as possible so that they can take appropriate action.” He goes on to say, “If people on the interstate are driving 70 miles an hour, they may not even know what city or county they are in, there’s an information gap. The electronic billboards fill this gap.” The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA) wants to ensure that officials in the 46 states that have digital billboards put them to good use in emergency situations.