How Can Cities Protect Distracted Phone Users at Busy Intersections?

We live in a world where people are constantly distracted by their cell phones. Wherever you go, you are likely to see someone with their eyes glued to their device – texting, emailing, watching videos, playing games, posting on Facebook, Instagram, or Tik Tok, listening to podcasts, and more. Whatever the reason for needing to be constantly connected to the digital world, this can have a dramatic effect on real-world interactions. It can, in fact, be dangerous.

People trying to cross the street with their attention fixated on their phones put themselves in danger of being seriously injured or killed by traffic. So, what can be done to keep distracted phone users safer at busy intersections? Hong Kong is trying out a unique strategy.

As part of a six-month trial, transportation officials are attempting to keep distracted phone users safe by trying out downward-facing LEDs that glow red when crosswalks aren’t safe. They work in sync with the traffic lights, displaying a bright red light that illuminates not only the distracted user but their cell phone screen as well. The idea is that this red light will remind the user to stop looking at their phone and pay attention to the hazards around them as they try to cross the street.

However, this safety measure can only go so far in trying to protect distracted phone users. Hong Kong's strategy wouldn't help people who simply walk across the street without using the crosswalk. And it may only be a matter of time before people get used to the red LED lights and tune them out, ignoring them as easily as they do the sounds of cars rushing past them. It will then be up to drivers to be extra vigilant of crossing pedestrians and hopefully not distracted by their own cellular devices.

Look up!