With warmer weather and longer days, people in Connecticut are spending much more time out walking. During this pandemic, many pedestrians have taken advantage of less cars on the road to enjoy their strolls with their phones in hand to listen to music, talk on the phone, text and use social media. This distraction is great company during a walk, but could pose safety hazards if you are not paying close attention to your surroundings.
With more people becoming vaccinated and less COVID-19 infection rates in the state, Connecticut roads are becoming busier. Pedestrians using phones tend to keep their heads down to look at their phones even when they are entering or attempting to cross a busy intersection. This can not only result in an accident, injuries and even death can be the outcome.
States across the nation are imposing fines for pedestrians who are texting while walking. According to Connecticut General Assembly website, in 2019 an Act concerning Distracted Walking was introduced by the state’s Transportation Committee to prohibit pedestrians from crossing a highway while viewing a mobile device. The bill, if passed, would fine pedestrians for crossing the street while distracted by an electronic device.
Some cities across the world are changing their infrastructure to deal with this problem by reducing speeds at crossing, extending cross walk time and creating dedicated lanes. Some text walking lanes have been created in Washington D.C., Chongqing, China and Antwerp, Belgium.
Slower speeds give motorists more time to react to prevent an accident when a distracted pedestrian walks in front of their vehicle. Still, the best way to avoid these accidents is for pedestrians to keep a proper lookout and stay off their phones.
Distracted walking incidents are on the rise, and everyone with a cell phone is at risk. According to a Governors Highway Safety Association report, 2,957 pedestrians were killed between January through June in 2020. This number is six times the number of 2019 fatalities.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a pedestrian accident due to the negligence of another, contact Jacobs & Wallace for a free case evaluation today: (203) 332-7700.
