Since Wednesday, October 25 in Honolulu, pedestrians who cross the street with their eyes fixed on their phones can receive a fine of 35 dollars (almost 30 euros) the first time. If they repeat it, it will be 99 dollars (84 euros). The mayor wants pedestrians to share responsibility for road safety with drivers of cars, trucks or two-wheelers. Honolulu is the first major American city to make this decision. But it is an idea that has been considered for more than a year by several local authorities in several states. For the moment, many town halls are hesitant, because they know that it will be very difficult to apply. For example, New York prefers for the moment to multiply the messages to warn about the risks of this electronic distraction.
When we analyze the road safety figures in the United States, we see that the number of pedestrians killed in accidents increased sharply last year (+ 9%). This has been a regular trend for ten years, which has accelerated even since the generalization of laptops, then smartphones, especially in large cities.
So all these accidents are not due to the laptop, of course. But studies show that people who walk with their eyes on their screens have four times more likely to cross outside the nails, or without looking carefully from both sides. They cross more slowly when distracted. A small town in Idaho implemented the measure six years ago after a series of deaths of five pedestrians. She hasn’t recorded any since.
