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.

The Guardian's report, published on Monday, said the updated code would introduce fines for pedestrians who cross roads while using their phones. The draft follows a series of court decisions that have shifted some responsibility for accidents onto pedestrians who failed to pay attention, a legal evolution that has been closely watched by road-safety campaigners.

In Bologna, where narrow medieval streets share space with trams, buses, bicycles and a large student population, the issue of distracted walking has been a persistent concern for local authorities. The city's historic centre, with its porticoes and busy crossings, sees heavy foot traffic year-round, and officials have previously experimented with ground-level traffic lights and other measures to keep pedestrians alert.

The transport ministry's push comes as Italy grapples with road-safety statistics that lag behind the best-performing European countries. According to data cited by European road-safety bodies, Italy has consistently recorded higher-than-average road deaths per capita compared with nations such as Sweden and the Netherlands, prompting successive governments to tighten rules.

The Guardian noted that the new code is still in draft form and must complete its legislative journey before becoming law. The measure has drawn mixed reactions, with some pedestrian groups welcoming the clarity on liability while others argue that the burden should remain on drivers, who operate vehicles capable of causing far greater harm.

For the Emilia-Romagna region, home to some of Italy's busiest cycling and pedestrian corridors, the debate resonates beyond the courtroom. The region's flat terrain and dense urban centres make walking and cycling a primary mode of transport, and local planners have invested heavily in infrastructure designed to separate vulnerable road users from traffic.

The outcome of the draft code will be watched closely in Bologna and across the region, where the balance between mobility and safety remains a defining civic challenge. As the Guardian's report makes clear, the final shape of the rules will depend on the parliamentary process, but the direction of travel is unmistakable: in Italy, the pedestrian's gaze is now a matter of law.