Italy’s updated highway code will target pedestrians who stare at their mobile phones while crossing the road, as the country’s transport ministry strives to improve road safety by cracking down on perilous distractions.
The offence, contained in a draft version of the highway code which is expected to be approved by mid-October, carries fines of €۷۵ or more.
The aim is to reduce occasions when a driver does not have enough time to react to a pedestrian distracted by their phone, a scenario that can transform into a serious accident.
The measure follows several rulings by Italian courts which have assigned blame for accidents to careless pedestrians. Other electronic devices such as laptops, tablets and digital cameras are included in the ban.
However, pedestrians will still be able to have hands-free conversations while crossing the road, and can use their phone in an emergency. Wearing earphones is permitted too, provided pedestrians can hear adequately in both ears, according to snippets of the updated highway code published in the Italian press.
The measure does not apply to pedestrians walking along a pavement.
The draft also stipulates that before crossing a road, pedestrians must ensure that the driver of an approaching vehicle has seen them and intends to stop. Furthermore, pedestrians must not dither in their pursuit to get to the other side.
Italy is not the first country to target distracted walking. In ۲۰۱۸, Lithuania imposed fines on pedestrians using mobile phones or engaging in any other activities that could distract them while crossing the road.
In ۲۰۱۷, Honolulu was thought to have become the first city in the world to enforce similar rules while Japan’s Yamato City followed suit in ۲۰۲۰.
Italy’s updated highway code is expected to include tougher penalties for those who drive while using a mobile phone, with fines of up to €۲,۵۸۸ for repeat offenders along with having their licence suspendedfor one to three months.
The road regulations had also been expected to include restrictions on drivers aged ۸۵ and above, including only being able to drive within ۱۰۰km of their home and a total ban on motorways. After a public outcry, the transport ministry said on Sunday that the measure had been removed from the draft some time ago at the request of the transport minister, Matteo Salvini.
