Walking while texting in NJ could result in jail time
Walking while texting is not only an addiction that could cause injury to pedestrians, but it is also a habit that may land them in jail.
According to Engadget, crossing the street with your eyes focused on a smartphone in New Jersey might mean spending up to 15 days in jail and paying a $50 fine.
In a new bill introduced by New Jersey assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, she argues that 'distracted walkers' should be held to the same penalty as jaywalkers since they pose just as much danger to drivers.
The proposed bill would ban walking while texting and prohibit pedestrians on public roads from using smartphones that are not hands-free.
Though turning this proposal into a law may prove difficult, Lampitt said pedestrians' risky behavior should be penalized. She cited a National Safety Council report that documented 11,101 distracted walking incidents over the space of 10 years.