Whether we like it or not, advertising is part of our social fabric.

It’s in our hands, homes, cars, at work, on trains and buses, and everywhere in between.

Our attention is a valued commodity, but do some forms of advertisement go too far to earn it? Are there places where they don’t belong?

PhD scholar Jane Hinton from Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety - Queensland (Carrs-Q) is taking a deep dive into roadside advertising.

Ms Hinton said roadside ads have existed for thousands of years, but research into their impact on road safety was lacking.

“Murals and artwork uncovered on structures in ancient streets in the city of Pompeii (circa AD79), could be considered an early form of roadside advertising,” Ms Hinton said.

“Advertising posters, notices and signs were also present during the time of the horse and cart.

“Since then, roadside advertising signs have significantly changed becoming more sophisticated as sign technology advances exponentially. As technology changes so quickly, it is difficult for the research to keep up.”

To address this knowledge gap, Ms Hinton is surveying the very people targeted by billboards – motorists.

“The roadside advertising survey will give road users a voice on what they really think about roadside advertising signs, by giving them an opportunity to have their say,” Ms Hinton said.

“Using a survey to ask people about their experience, opinions, interactions and engagement with roadside advertising signs is a great way to investigate areas that are currently under-explored and where evidence is incomplete.”

The QUT Carrs-Q researcher hopes insights gained from the survey will provide avenues for future research and potentially inform government policy.

“Road users’ views are an important part of policy development,” Ms Hinton said.

“Our latest research proposes that drivers’ interactions with roadside advertising signs is complex and that there is more to the story than just where the signs are located.

“For example, some drivers may notice a sign and quickly forget about what they have seen while other drivers may continue to think about a roadside advertising sign even once the sign has been passed.

“These potential differences in driver behaviour, among others, give me cause to understand more about the complexities of driver distraction and hopefully make a positive difference.”

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