“Keep your head up, obey the traffic lights and look out before you step out,” is the message being issued to pedestrians in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in a bid to reduce the number of deaths on the road.
NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance says there has been a worrying increase in “zombie-like behaviour” from pedestrians who are taking unnecessary risks with fatal consequences.
“It needs to end now before more lives are lost,” Constance said. “There are pedestrians crossing roads distracted, head down, looking at their phone. We have others running across roads in front of moving vehicles.
“The basic road sense we teach our kids is being discarded by adults through either impatience or complacency. I urge all pedestrians to keep your head up, obey the traffic lights and please look out before you step out.”
This year 38 pedestrians have been killed on roads across the state with three of the fatalities involving a bus.
