Watch where you walk.
People glued to their smartphones could find themselves in hot water if US state legislators get their way.
New Jersey legislators could be the first in the United States to make texting while walking illegal.
You may have heard about some cities in Belgium, China, and the US having trialled “text walking lanes” for distracted pedestrians who can’t stop using their phones for a moment, but this is the next level.
According to reports in Mashable, New Jersey Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt is looking to “ban walking while texting, and bar pedestrians on public roads from using electronic communication devices unless they are hands-free”.
Those caught breaking the law could face a $50 (£35) fine, or possibly 15 days imprisonment – similar to the punishments in place for jaywalking.
“Distracted pedestrians, like distracted drivers, present a potential danger to themselves and drivers on the road,” Lampitt said. “An individual crossing the road distracted by their smartphone presents just as much danger to motorists as someone jaywalking and should be held, at minimum, to the same penalty.”
There’s no current information on when the New Jersey proposal will get a hearing, but following news that Hawaii, Arkansas, Illinois, Nevada and New York are also looking into people who walk and text, it may be a good time to invest in a good hands free kit.
Surely it can’t be long before the legal argument spreads to this part of the world too?
