Pedestrians banned from looking at cellphones in crosswalks
LOS ANGELES: A new law that bans pedestrians from looking at their cellphones took effect in Honolulu, the capital and largest city of the US state of Hawaii, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.
Aiming to enhance responsibility of pedestrians while on the road, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed a bill into law in July, which makes it illegal for pedestrians to look at electronic devices while crossing the street.
The law allows police officers to fine pedestrians for viewing their electronic devices while crossing the street in the city and surrounding county.
A pedestrian will be fined between US$ 15 to US$ 35 for the first violation.
Additional violations then raise the fine to US$ 75 to US$ 99, which is lower than the US$ 130fine for jaywalking, according to local website Hawaii News Now.
Honolulu is the first major US city to ban viewing electronic devices while crossing the street.
“While we have laws in place for our motorists and our bicyclists, now it’s a shared responsibility for pedestrians as well, to really pay attention as they cross the street,” Councilman Brandon Elefante who introduced the bill has been quoted as saying by Hawaii News Now.
More than 270,000 pedestrians die on the world’s roads each year, according to ‘Mr Pedestrian’ posters released by the World Health Organisation ( WHO). — Bernama