A new study has found that ever since massive billboards featuring models such as Israeli Bar Refaeli were put up, the number of car accidents have increased on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, Israel.
The Times of Israel reports:
The study, which was conducted by Dr. Victoria Gitelman, Dr. David Zaidel, Dr. Etti Doveh and Ran Zilberstein of the Technion, looked at the effect of large billboards on the Ayalon Highway, a major roadway in Tel Aviv, over three different time periods.
The first was from 2007 to 2008, when the billboards were first put up. During the second, from 2008 to the summer of 2009, the billboards were removed or covered in accordance with the law at the time. During the third, from summer 2009 to 2012, when the period of data collection ended, the billboards were restored, but with some restrictions. The giant billboards often feature eye-catching fashion advertisements, starring scantily dressed Israeli models including Bar Refaeli.
The study probed more than 22,000 road accidents, most of which resulted only in vehicle damage. It proved that when there were no advertising signs beside the Ayalon Highway, the rate of accidents with casualties on the stretches of road that were studied decreased by between 30 and 40 percent—and went up by 40% to 50% when the advertising signs were restored.