Italy targets phone-distracted pedestrians in new highway code

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 behaviour, the Guardian reported on Monday.

The draft code follows several court rulings that assigned blame for road accidents to careless pedestrians, according to the Guardian. The measure is part of a broader effort to reduce road deaths in Italy, where traffic accidents remain a persistent concern.

The proposal comes as Italy prepares for the September return of school traffic and the end of the summer holiday period, when roads see a surge in movement across the country.