Road death warnings are killing drivers, research finds

Safety warnings stick in mind of drivers when they most need to focus, reports Liam James

Death toll warnings have had tragic impact (Getty)

A road safety campaign in the US appears to have had the tragic effect of causing more deaths.

Researchers found that overhead signs on Texas highways which remind drivers of the mounting annual death toll from road traffic incidents were inadvertently leading to more crashes.

The “in-your-face” approach can weigh on the mind of a passing driver and temporarily dull their ability to respond to what is happening on the road, the researchers found.