Texting While Walking Could Become Illegal In N.J. Under Proposed Bill

One New Jersey lawmaker is trying to crack down on distracted walking.

Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt is sponsoring legislation that would fine pedestrians $50 who use their phones while crossing the street.

The bill, which was introduced in the Assembly Monday, treats those who use phones in crosswalks like jaywalkers. In addition to the fine, violators could be sentenced to 15 days in jail.

"It’s to heighten the awareness of what's going on around you," said Lampitt, a Democrat from Cherry Hill." Even if you have permission to walk sign to walk, you should not be distracted, you should be aware of what's going on around you, especially in the street."

Drafting the bill came out of a deeply personal experience for Lampitt, she said. She works at the University of Pennsylvania and knew a student who was hit by a bus when he was crossing the street. The student was using his phone when he was struck.

"We need to have people be more aware of what's going on around them," Lampitt said.

A study by William Paterson University health professor Dr. Corey Basch found distracted walking significantly increases the risk of injury for pedestrians.

Basch studied more than 21,000 pedestrians at five intersections and discovered that nearly half crossing on a "Don’t Walk" signal and nearly one-third of pedestrians crossing on a "Walk" signal were wearing headphones, talking on a mobile phone, and/or looking down at an electronic device."

The most prevalent distracted behavior, according to Dr. Basch, was headphone use, which impaired the “ability to register important audible warnings.”

In 2010, more than 4,000 pedestrians were killed and another 70,000 were injured in traffic crashes in the United States, according to the study.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the student she knew who was hit by a bus was not killed, he was merely injured.