And the first city in the U.S. to make texting while crossing the street illegal is...
You'll get slapped with a fine if you're texting and walking here
You'll get slapped with a fine if you're texting and walking here
You'll get slapped with a fine if you're texting and walking here
A new law in Honolulu, Hawaii, making texting while crossing the street illegal went into effect earlier this week. Now, reports, pedestrians can be fined $35 (for a first offense) should they be caught doing so.
specifies it鈥檚 not just texting that is illegal: "In fact, a downward glance at a screen of any kind will cost you 鈥� a phone, a tablet, a video game,鈥� Hawaii Public Radio鈥檚 Bill Dorman said. Repeat offenders face fines from $75-$99.
Honolulu鈥檚 mayor Kirk Caldwell signed the in July soon after it was reported there was a sharp increase in pedestrians getting hit by passing vehicles in crosswalks last year. In fact, Honolulu has some of the highest reported numbers of this particular type of accident in the country.
Though Honolulu is the first in the United States to pass and enforce this particular this type of law, the notes it may be more common moving forward: cities in India and across Europe drafted similar legislation after news of Honolulu鈥檚 bill broke this summer.