Smartphones are everywhere. While their rise has brought many benefits for both communication and business, smartphones have also been the cause of many accidents due to pedestrians not paying attention to their surroundings. South Korea believes it has the answer: road signs.
South Korea’s capital, Seoul, believes it can reduce smartphone-related pedestrian traffic accidents by installing traffic signs. the sign that he is currently on trial warn smartphone owners in five accident-prone areas of the city (such as City Hall, Gangnam Station and Yonsei University). The signs will also carry the notice “Warning: Be careful when using a smartphone while walking” next to an illustration of a smartphone user entering a car.
Other cities around the world have tested measures to reduce smartphone-related crashes with Antwerp, Belgium, implementing “pedestrian text” lanes along similar lines to China Chongqing Text Corridor System. While text lanes are all good for avoiding stepping into your next one, it’s a little different when it comes to navigating traffic. The big problem with traffic signs is that if you’re looking at your phone while walking, when will you look up to spot the new hazard signs?
It’s hard to imagine officials in Seoul abandoning the idea anytime soon, especially since both Samsung and LG are headquartered in the city and provide a substantial amount of revenue to the country through their various electronic products. Maybe a traffic sign that can send a push notification to your phone to pay attention would be the next smart step? For now, however, South Koreans can enjoy adding additional signs to their crossings.
