Pedestrians in Australia who cross the road while while looking at their phones face being slapped with fines of up to $200.
The Pedestrian Council of Australia (PDA) is pushing for fines to be introduced which would mean people crossing the road distracted by devices could pay $200.
PDA chairman Harold Scruby told 9 News: “We would like to see a penalty of $200 nationally, and it would be titled ‘cross road while distracted’.
“There’d be a penalty for the use of any device while crossing the road. We’ve spent eight to 10 years advertising, now it’s time for enforcement.”
There are already $81 fines in place in Australia which apply to crossing within 20 meters of a pedestrian crossing, failing to obey traffic lights and failing to give way.
However, police say they are not currently considering fines for pedestrians crossing using phones.
An observational study conducted by NRMA in Sydney recently found 36 per cent of pedestrians crossed roads while distracted by their smartphone or wearing headphones. The findings were published in NRMA’s pedestrian safety report Look Up.
Speaking to Illawarra Mercury, Mr Scruby said new legislation is needed to minimise the chance of accidents on roads in Australia.
He added: “A lot of people say if they [pedestrians] are going to be stupid, it's their problem but the fact is the cost of road trauma per annum is about $30billion and much of that is pedestrian trauma.”
Last month, a cyclist who knocked over a yoga teacher in London Bridge when she stepped into the road while staring at her phone was ordered to pay up to £100,000 in compensation and legal fees.
Robert Hazeldean crashed into Gemma Brushett, who was looking at her phone as she crossed a busy junction in July 2015, and they were both knocked unconscious.
