Even when they endanger your life, habits are hard to break. Humans often and blatantly disregard traffic laws. Utilizing a cell phone while driving, speeding, and crossing the street without using the crosswalk are just a few of the often occurring offenses.
Keep reading to find out more.
Smartphone Addiction
The unwavering focus on smartphone screens may make it seem impossible to stop smartphone addiction, which has been linked to increased accidents. It now seems that South Korea is the first country to have a solution. Demonstrating the saying “modern problems require modern solutions.”
Modern Issues, Modern Solution
A video of an unusual traffic signal in South Korea demonstrates that modern issues call for to demonstrate that modern issues call for modern solutions. In addition to poles, traffic lights are also set up on the ground to aid those crossing roadways while staring at their phone screens.
Smombies
Yes! that’s right. The Asian nation, already ahead of its time, developed this device to assist those hooked to their phone screens when crossing. These people are known as “Smombies” in the country, which is short for smartphone zombies.
RELATED STORIES
Sign Of The Times
Indian industrialist Shrinivas Dempo shared a video of South Korean residents utilizing the new street lights on his official Twitter account, bringing attention to the innovative invention.
Focused On The Red Light
The pedestrians queuing at the crosswalk of a busy road in Seoul may be seen in the video. However, not everyone’s focus is on it. Everybody focused on the red LED light on the sidewalk and behind which individuals were standing. After the signal turned green for a brief period, the commuters began crossing the street.
Lightening Up The Street
The video was first posted on Twitter by Trung Phan, who captioned it,
Happening In Melbourne
Many individuals voiced their ideas about the same in the comments section. Some responded and said South Korea is not the only country with this technology. A social media user revealed in the comments area that this has been happening in Melbourne for a while.
Criticizing Smartphone Zombies
Some criticized those who use their phones while walking on the street and contended that such technologies encourage people to keep up their bad behavior. While another added;
The Video Has Garnered Attention
Over 12,000 people have liked the video, which has been seen over 738,000 times.
Initially, A Trial Project
The traffic lights were initially put as part of a trial project in 2019 to reduce the rising incidence of accidents at pedestrian crossings, according to a report by The Independent .
Why The Traffic Light
Its purpose was to alert pedestrians engrossed in their mobile devices about when it was safe to cross the street.
Implementing Alarm System
The same year, the South Korean government also implemented an alarm system that notifies a person’s phone if they are about to cross a road with moving traffic.
Helpful Development
In 25 different Seoul districts, there were over 1,200 in-ground traffic lights by January of this year. The additional lights, according to an official, were first installed to warn “smartphone zombies,” but they later proved to be helpful in safeguarding the safety of kids.
According to The Korean Times , the district office intended to extend this traffic light system throughout Seoul, particularly in neighborhoods near schools.
Good Development
The South Korean Government did well with this latest development as it will drastically reduce accidents caused by smartphone zombies as well as foster consciousness while on the road.
