Thinks you can walk and talk at the same time? Not anymore, says New York law makers.
It could be a case of regulation gone mad – or else life saving legislation.
Pedestrians in liberal heartland of New York are said to be banned from using their mobile devices while crossing the road in a bid by police to prevent high fatality rates from such incidents.
Those caught in the “deceptive serenity” afforded by iPhones, music players and other electronic devices would face a fine of USD $100 and a court summons in the place known as the city that never sleeps.
Democratic state senator, Carl Kruger, said the new law was necessary to prevent accidents being caused by people locked what he termed the “deceptive serenity” enjoyed by device users while making their way through crowded streets, according to a report in the Telegraph.
“You can’t be fully aware of your surroundings if you’re fiddling with a BlackBerry dialling a phone number…or listening to music on an iPod, ” he said.
Pedestrian deaths are said to account for 12 percent of all deaths on US roads, according to The Governors Highway Safety Association.
Similar legislation is also set for several other US states including California and Virginia.
