OAAA, Ad Council and NHTSA Ask DOOH Operators to Run Hot Car Death PSA
2026-08-02 · via Digital Signage Today
The Out of Home Advertising Association of America is partnering with the Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on a public service campaign aimed at preventing pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, and it is asking digital out-of-home operators to donate ad space to run the spot through the summer.
For operators of digital billboards, place-based networks and other DOOH screens, this is a request to carry a PSA rather than a paid campaign, according to the announcement. The OAAA says it wants the ad, built around the message "Stop. Look. Lock," placed in any available inventory operators can spare over the coming months.
The campaign's core ask is simple: parents and caregivers should check the back seat of a vehicle before walking away from it, every time. Hot car deaths involving children spike in summer months as temperatures rise, and safety advocates have long used the warmer season to push reminder campaigns through whatever media channels will carry them for free or at reduced cost.
What this means for operators
For digital signage and DOOH operators, PSA campaigns like this one are a recurring ask from industry associations and government agencies, typically filling unsold inventory rather than displacing paid advertising. The OAAA's role here is coordinating the ask across its membership, which includes many of the operators running digital billboards, transit screens and other outdoor networks nationwide.
The announcement does not specify creative lengths, file formats, or a firm end date for the campaign beyond "throughout the summer," so operators interested in participating will need to check with the OAAA or Ad Council directly for those specifics. It also does not disclose whether there is any tracking or reporting mechanism attached to the PSA placements, which matters for operators who want to quantify their contribution for CSR reporting or association credit.
The partnership with NHTSA gives the campaign a federal safety backing that similar past OOH PSA pushes have used to encourage broader participation across networks that might otherwise reserve donated space for other causes. For an industry that regularly balances paid inventory against public service commitments, this is another seasonal ask rather than a shift in how DOOH advertising business works. The practical impact will depend on how many operators choose to run the spot and how much unsold inventory they have available during peak summer months when many networks are also fielding paid seasonal campaigns from beverage, travel and entertainment advertisers.
The announcement in full
Reproduced from Digital Signage Today for reference. Digital Signage Magazine did not write the text below.
The Out of Home Advertising Association of America is partnering with the Ad Council and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to raise awareness about the dangers of pediatric vehicular heatstroke and prevent hot car deaths.
The OOH campaign encourages parents and caregivers to make one simple habit part of every trip: Stop. Look. Lock. The campaign encourages parents and caregivers to check the back seat before leaving their vehicle.
The OAAA is asking DOOH operators to run the Heatstroke Prevention PSA in any available space throughout the summer.
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