Italy's new highway code targets phone-staring pedestrians

Italy's updated highway code will target pedestrians who stare at their mobile phones while crossing the road, as the country's transport ministry strives to improve road safety by cracking down on distracted walking, the Guardian reports.

The draft code follows several court rulings that assigned blame for road accidents to careless pedestrians, according to the Guardian's Rome correspondent. The move is part of a broader effort to modernise traffic rules and reduce fatalities on Italian streets.

The measure reflects a growing concern across Europe about the dangers of smartphone distraction, with Italy now moving to codify penalties for a behaviour that has become common in cities from Milan to Palermo.