New York proposes bill that would fine people who text while walking

Texting while walking may soon be prohibited by law in New York state, with a new bill proposing a fine for anyone caught typing while crossing the street.

The bill, introduced by the State Senate and sponsored by Brooklyn Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, suggests a fine of $25 to $50 for those caught holding and looking at a phone while crossing the street.

For subsequent offences within 18 months, guilty pedestrians could face fines up to $250.

According to Queens Senator John Liu, the point of the bill is to keep people from being distracted by their phones while drivers are waiting for them to cross the street.

“This is a bill that says don’t text while crossing the street, wait the 10 seconds, to get to the other side,” Mr Liu told ABC7.

Although he did not have data to back up his claim that texting and crossing the street is a “growing public health concern,” according to Gothamist, Mr Liu said the proposed law is “just about common sense”.

Under the proposed bill, “holding a portable electronic device while taking or transmitting images, playing games, or, for the purpose of present or future communication: performing a command or request to access a world wide web page, composing, sending, reading, viewing, accessing, browsing, transmitting saving or retrieving email, text messages, instant messages, or other electronic data,” would all be banned.

The bill does make exceptions for people using their phones to communicate with an emergency response operator, a hospital, doctor, fire department or police officer.

Those talking on the phone while crossing the street would also be exempt.

According to ABC7, similar laws have been passed in Hawaii and California.

As for who would be in charge of enforcing the law in New York, Mr Liu said it would depend on the municipality.

“It could be the police, it could be other law enforcement officers,” he said.