Virginia road sign tells drivers not to hit car in front of them

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Some Virginia residents said they're are upset the Arlington County Police Department spent $13,000 on a sign that reads, "Don't hit the car in front of you."

Lt. David Green Jr. told TheBlaze.com Friday that the sign has been displayed for about two months because the area is "one of the highest accident areas in the county."

"Almost 100 percent of the accidents at this location are rear end collisions," he added.

But some residents said the electronic sign was a waste of taxpayer dollars.

"I am dismayed to see my hard-earned tax dollars going towards expensive signs which tell me what to do," said resident Amanda Anderson added.

Another resident, Paul-Martin Foss, said he believes the sign to be a distraction to drivers.

"Not only are these types of signs insulting to the vast majority of us who are competent drivers, but they're also incredibly dangerous," he said. "Money is being spent on patronizing signs that state the obvious and cause the distracted driving they're ostensibly intended to prevent."

Green said the sign replaced other signs in the area that read "safety is no accident" and "maintain safe following distance." He said those signs weren't effective.

"The current message was an attempt to simplify the message as much as possible," he added.

Green said that because the sign is electronic, the message can be changed and it can be used for other purposes.