The mayor of Honolulu, Kirk Caldwell, is likely to sign a “Distracted Walking” bill this week that will provide for a fine of up to $99 for using cell phones while crossing the street. The legislation also prohibits use of tablets, video games, cameras, pagers and laptops. The only exception to the law will be making a 911 call.
How big of a problem is this? Researchers at the University of Washington observed more than 1,000 pedestrians and found nearly one in three using cell phones were less likely to look both ways or obey lights. Another study from The Ohio State University analyzed hospital data and found that injuries involving walking and using a cell phone more than doubled between 2005 and 2010.
The bill by Councilman Brandon Elefante was passed by the council bya vote of 7 to 2. One of the no voters suggested that public education would be a better alternative to the compared rather than another law.
Elefante told news media: “These high school groups were concerned for their peers being distracted while crossing the streets and looking at their phones instead of looking both ways.”
Your thoughts? Do you text and walk in paradise?
people these days are like walking zombies glued to their phone and completely oblivious to their surroundings. Sometimes people need safety from their own bad habits.
Aloha
The whole world seems to be distracted by their electronic devices. Clearly laws were put into place for doing this while driving and it has helped to reduce the ammount of distracted driver accidents. I think this can help and in general be a good practice for pedestrians.
Honolulu is a wonderful place as a present time.In the recent years, I am visiting Honolulu as a traveller.This Article is helpful for my Journey.I really appreciate this beautiful content.
Would the government like to come sit in my house to make sure that I dont fatally choke on food and make sure the law about cutting my food into bite-size chucks is followed?
might solve unemployment by making sure every body has a permanent hired anti-death partner to hold hands with forever?
oh-and who is going to pay for it?
Joy.
It is about time someone did something about “Walking & Talking on the cell-phones”.
I don’t have one being a Senior and with not so many people with whom to converse, however, I do walk around my neighbourhood almost daily and I use a walker. Not only are there large groups of people walking and not making room for me with my walker, it is the phoner & walker. Do they really need to have their friends know second to second where they are and what their plans are for the next moment? They all complain about disturbed privacy yet they give up their privacy freely on the street for one and all to hear their conversations. It is a real problem – perhaps the law is not the answer but someone has to bring it to their attention that they can be involved in serious accidents and end up in hospital.
Is it government’s job to protect stupid people from themselves? I believe the answer is no. While Mother Nature almost always removes weaklings from the gene pool in the wild, only allowing the strong to procreate, she can still manage to push her will amongst us humans from time to time. And if there ever was a need to let Mother Nature work her will, it would be to let those people stupid enough to walk into traffic, oblivious to the impending danger because they were on their phone, meet their doom.
Great idea worldwide.Melbourne, Australia could do with it.
This needs to happen everywhere. Other than 911 there is absolutely no legitimate reason to be using these devices while crossing a street. Finish what you are doing or wait until after you cross. No exceptions.
It is a problem everywhere! No matter how much we try – we can all be distracted and it can end in disaster. At the very least, bruises – and at the worst, serious injury or death.
Does anyone besides me remember a time when a person could leave home on a two week vacation and only send a couple of post cards home? No one thought a thing of it. No we are so ‘connected’ we can’t be a second without our cell phones. Kinda Sad.
This is a great idea! it needs to happen here in Calgary Alberta as well, now what is the fine collected going to?…keeping Hawaii Beautiful? …or possibly no tax boxes for home owners?
This is great! Thank you Hawaii. I’ve seen people who have been hit by a bus, fell into an open construction barricade. The only way to stop them is a fine All states should do this.
Linda