14 May 2016
The Pedestrian Council of Australia has called for the introduction of a new offence to tackle the problem of pedestrians crossing roads while using handheld mobile devices.
The Council has launched its own campaign - Don't Tune Out - to urge pedestrians to stayed tuned into their surroundings, but Chairman, Harold Scruby, said it was not enough.
"What we want is a separate offence that states clearly that using a handheld mobile device while crossing the road is a serious offence and should attract a penalty of at least $200.
"When we were kids we were taught stop look and listen. We're not stopping, looking or listening we're tuned into noise-cancelling earphones.
"We can't see signs, we can't hear horns. We can't even hear someone yelling 'watch out'.
"This behaviour is compromising the lives and limbs of not only pedestrians but other road users: cyclists, motorcyclists.
"A motorcyclist could easily kill themselves if they had to dodge pedestrians stepping off the footpath. It's behaviour that's out of control."
A Seattle study, he said, found one in three pedestrians were now crossing the road while looking at their mobile.
"These people are in la-la-land."
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