South Korea Installs Traffic Lights On Street For Smartphone Addicts?

Smart problems require smart solutions. With the advent of smartphones, people are increasingly becoming obsessed with their phones and have their eyes glued to little screens almost all the time.

Even while crossing the road, yes, don't look away; you are also one of them. You are probably reading this on your phone.

However, it can cause a major risk to your life if you are on your phone and get into a little accident on the road, if not a big one, while crossing the road. South Korea, however, has come up with a smart solution for the same. Here's what they did.

South Korea installed traffic lights on the street for people obsessed with their phones

South Korea put pedestrian street lights on the ground cause so many pedestrians were staring at phones. pic.twitter.com/bFMIIpg03v

¡ª Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) November 21, 2022

If you are constantly using your phone, even when you are crossing a road, there's a chance you might miss the traffic light because your eyes are glued to the road.

To solve this problem, South Korea has installed traffic lights on the ground as well as the traditional traffic lights on the poles.

Shared on Twitter by writer Trung Phan, a video shows the new addition at a zebra crossing.

The video is posted with the caption, "South Korea put pedestrian street lights on the ground cause so many pedestrians were staring at phones."

The same video was also shared on Twitter by industrialist Shrinivas Dempo, who called the people "Smartphone obsessed zombies- Sombies." He wrote, "Sign of the times: Traffic signals move down to road level at this crossing in Seoul so that people they call "Smombies" (smartphone obsessed zombies) can safely cross the roads while using their smartphones."

The lights were installed as a trial project

The South Korean government also ¡°implemented an alert system that sends a notification to phones if walkers are about to step into traffic¡±

? https://t.co/nvfQKH8q89 pic.twitter.com/5BVvDjrXqd

¡ª Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) November 21, 2022

Due to the increasing number of accidents at pedestrian crossings, the traffic lights were first installed on the street as part of a trial project in 2019.

It was aimed at informing pedestrians about when it is safe to cross the road while they stare at their mobile screens and on the ground simultaneously instead of having to look up at the poles.

According to Independant, the South Korean government also introduced an alert system the same year that sends a notification to a person's phone if he is about to cross a road with live traffic information.

People think the smart solution is cool

Ever since the video was posted, it has gathered more than 500k views and a host of reactions.

Many people think the modern solution to the modern problem is really cool.

A man wrote, "Looks pretty cool tbh. I can imagine this to be helpful for car drivers as well at intersections where the cars and pedestrians have a green light at the same time."

Looks pretty cool tbh. I can imagine this to be helpful for car drivers aswell at intersections where the cars and pedestrians have a green light at the same time.

¡ª Pruin Janek (@Sormdev) November 21, 2022

Another man pointed out, "They were doing this when I lived in Shanghai in 2018, it¡¯s brilliant. They started it after realizing people were looking down at their phone."

They were doing this when I lived in Shanghai in 2018, it¡¯s brilliant. They started it after realizing people were looking down at their phone.

¡ª Reed Alvarado (@GT_Transit) November 22, 2022

A woman wrote, "Excellent way to solve the wrong problem.....Pretty genius though."

Excellent way to solve the wrong problem..... Pretty genius though

¡ª Miia Sutherland (@MiiaFlorance) November 22, 2022

What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.

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