Distracted mobile-phone using pedestrians target of new campaign in North Sydney

DISTRACTED pedestrians absorbed in their mobile phones are the target of a new safety campaign aiming to cut road casualties.

PEDESTRIANS

A SAFETY audit in North Sydney has revealed just how oblivious pedestrians are to their surroundings when they are engrossed in their mobile phone.

More than 100 mobile-phone distracted pedestrians were observed in a 15-minute period by safety officers from North Sydney Council last week during the audit.

A new safety blitz and awareness campaign called Distracted? has now been launched by 10 northern Sydney councils in a bid to cut pedestrian injuries.

North Sydney Council Road safety officer Stella Stefan said it was “quite incredible” to see how immersed people were when looking at their phones.

Pedestrians make up 16 per cent of road casualties in North Sydney, compared to the 10 per cent average in the Sydney CBD and 8 per cent across NSW.

North Sydney road safety and sustainable transport co-ordinator Stella Stefan said the campaign message was simple — “heads up and phones down”.

‘HE NEVER MARCHED ON ANZAC DAY’

NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL HUNTS TREE KILLER

She said the campaign was targeted at people under 25 and includes educational posters, postcards, bus advertisements, social media messaging and face-to-face interactions with people crossing streets.

During last Thursday’s blitz with lunchtime shoppers on the corner of Berry and Miller streets, Ms Stefan said she witnessed at least one in four people engrossed with texting or looking at their mobile phones.

North Sydney’s pedestrian casualty figures are twice as high as the NSW average.

Most did not even look up when safety officers tried to catch their attention.

“It’s quite incredible, the degree to which they are immersed in their own world,” Ms Stefan said.

State Government injury statistics from 2013 show 212 pedestrian casualties were recorded across the north shore, with five fatalities.

Parents would also be targeted by the education campaign as a way of getting through to young people.

Do you see many pedestrians not paying attention because they’re on their phones? COMMENT ON FACEBOOK