TEXTING and walking could be made illegal in New York to stem a spike in phone-related pedestrian deaths.
Lawmakers are seeking to hit pedestrians with fines of up to £196 ($250) if they use their phones to text, check emails or browse the internet while crossing roads.
At least 6,277 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes last year, according to the 2019 Governors High Safety Association.
The report cites “the large growth of smartphone use” as a possible factor contributing to the increase of pedestrian deaths.
If the bill passes in the New York State Senate then it would apply across the state, not just in New York City.
State Senator John Liu introduced the bill last week and told CNN: “It’s hard not to notice the number of people texting while walking, and downright alarming to see people continuing their texting while crossing the street.
“We want New Yorkers to know it’s OK to wait the five seconds.”
The transportation committees in both of the state’s government chambers, the Assembly and the Senate, have to approve it before it can come to a fully vote.
Senator Tim Kennedy, the chair of the Senate Transport Committee, believes this motion is an “overreach of government”.
He said: “I don’t support the concept in its current form.
“As someone who has rallied for significant pedestrian safety reforms for years, I prioritise the protection and security of all New Yorkers, but it appears to me as though this is an overreach of government.”
This is not the first time a measure like this has been introduced in the US.
Honolulu passed a similar law in 2017 that was known as the “distracted pedestrian” law.
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