Lithuania's phone-addicted pedestrians to face fines

Pedestrians caught using mobile devices while crossing the road in Lithuania will be fined up to 40 euros (Â£35) in a bid to reduce traffic deaths, authorities said.

By The Newsroom

Published 5th Oct 2018, 16:38 BST

Updated 5th Oct 2018, 17:43 BST

Transportation ministry spokeswoman Vytaute Smaizyte said pedestrians in Lithuania are involved in accidents more often than in other European Union countries.

She said 38% of road traffic fatalities in the Baltic nation are pedestrians.

The EU average is 20%.

The head of Lithuania's road traffic police, Vytautas Grasys, said officials expect "good results from these measures. Fewer accidents (means) more lives saved".

The law, adopted on Wednesday, says pedestrians can be fined as of November 1 if they step on to a street or walk across it while looking at or talking into their mobile device.