Honolulu’s mayor signed into law a bill which makes it illegal for pedestrians to look at their mobile phones while crossing a street or highway. It is the first major American city to do so.
So-called “distracted walking” has been shown in several recent studies to result in delayed reaction times, and a steep uptick in pedestrian casualites has been noted in recent years.
“We hold the unfortunate distinction of being a major city with more pedestrians being hit in crosswalks, particularly our seniors, than almost any other city in the country,” Mayor of Honolulu Kirk Caldwell told reporters upon signing the bill. The ban will take effect in October, and fines will range from $15 to $100 depending on the nature of the offense.
