Fines for pedestrians crossing while looking at phones

A planned amendment to the Highway Code in Italy has brought to the agenda the implementation of fines for pedestrians who do not pay attention to the road while crossing by looking at their mobile phones.

The draft text prepared by the Ministry of Transport is expected to be enacted by mid-October. According to the regulation, it is aimed to impose fines starting from 75 euros on pedestrians who violate the rule.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES ALSO INCLUDED

The new rules cover not only mobile phones but also tablets, laptops, and digital cameras. The stated goal is to ensure that drivers can notice pedestrians who are not focused on the road earlier and to prevent accidents.

According to the draft, pedestrians will be allowed to talk in hands-free mode. For the use of headphones, a condition will be required that the person must be able to hear surrounding sounds. Pedestrians walking on the sidewalk will be excluded from these sanctions.

The regulation also stipulates that pedestrians should establish eye contact with the driver before stepping onto the road to confirm that the vehicle will stop, and that they should not hesitate or linger while crossing.

The draft also plans to increase penalties for drivers. It is stated that the use of mobile phones behind the wheel could result in fines of up to 2,588 euros and the suspension of a driver's license for 1 to 3 months for repeated violations.

A clause that would have restricted drivers aged 85 and over to traveling no more than 100 kilometers from their homes and banned them from highways was removed from the draft following public backlash and at the instruction of Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini.

Similar practices have been implemented in different countries before. Lithuania in 2018, Honolulu in 2017, and the Japanese city of Yamato in 2020 began implementing sanctions for distracted pedestrians.

News Source: 12punto