Implementation of new regulations in Xiamen, Fujian, where users can swipe their phones while crossing a zebra crossing or being fined a safety line | zebra crossing | mobile phones

Zebra crossing is an important component of urban transportation. It is not only a safety line and lifeline for pedestrians crossing the street, but also a civilized line that highlights a good image of a city. However, in recent years, the phenomenon of crossing zebra crossings while bowing down to "swipe your phone" has become increasingly common, which is not only unsafe but may also hinder traffic.

The Regulations on Traffic Safety Management of Zebra Crossings in Xiamen Special Economic Zone will come into effect on August 1st. In the future, crossing zebra crossings while using mobile phones in Xiamen may result in fines.

New regulations will be implemented from now on to brush mobile phones, cross zebra crossings or be fined

In response to the prominent uncivilized behaviors such as "brushing mobile phones" on zebra crossings, this regulation clearly stipulates that pedestrians passing through zebra crossings should pass within the zebra crossing as soon as possible and are not allowed to sit, lie, stay, play, browse electronic devices, or engage in other activities that affect traffic safety. Those who violate this regulation and obstruct the legal passage of vehicles will be warned or fined 50 yuan.

Wu Tao, Vice Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress: This time, we have used a specific description of the behavior of pedestrians crossing zebra crossings with limited legal provisions. In fact, we want to further create a good social atmosphere for interaction and understanding between motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians, and jointly promote civilized progress through the legalization of uncivilized behavior. It is also to cultivate a civilized and lawful behavior mode for road traffic.

The birth of this regulation originated from a representative proposal. During the two sessions of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress at the beginning of this year, Su Guoqiang and ten other Xiamen Municipal People's Congress representatives jointly proposed a proposal to carry out legislation on zebra crossing traffic safety, which quickly became the official legislative project of this year and was ultimately passed through a second instance vote.

Xiamen Municipal People's Congress Representative Su Guoqiang: During our traffic road inspection process, many grassroots police officers have been saying that in fact, the smoothness of the entire road intersection is blocked, many of which are on zebra crossings, and there are still more traffic accidents. Approximately 20% of Xiamen's traffic accidents are on zebra crossings. Let's discuss whether we can focus on this pain point and bottleneck. Let's make a small incision in legislation, such as the behavior we often see crossing a zebra crossing while looking at our phones. We have stipulated in it that such behavior can be punished.

According to data, when looking down at a phone, the average field of view is only 5% of normal walking, and the average walking speed slows down by 16% to 33%. This not only hinders traffic but also easily leads to accidents. The emphasis of laws and regulations is on implementation. In response to the difficulties in obtaining evidence and law enforcement for zebra crossing violations, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone Zebra Crossing Traffic Safety Management Regulations have also designed corresponding systems.

Wu Tao, Vice Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Xiamen Municipal People's Congress: One is to strengthen the intelligent construction of road traffic safety management, promote full coverage of technical equipment, and authorize public security organs to use video and photo data captured by intelligent devices for evidence collection and punishment. The second is to further promote the common construction, sharing, and governance of the people, in order to jointly create a good road traffic order. We also want to declare a good civilized behavior pattern through similar clauses, and together, further solidify and enhance the civilized literacy in the form of the rule of law.

On the first day of implementation, education will be the main focus

Starting today, in Xiamen, Fujian, pedestrians crossing zebra crossings while browsing electronic devices such as mobile phones and obstructing the legal passage of vehicles will face fines.

At 9 o'clock, the reporter saw at the intersection of Tiyu Road and Lianyue Road in Siming District, Xiamen City, Fujian Province, that most pedestrians would pay attention to the road conditions when crossing the zebra crossing, and quickly pass through the zebra crossing while ensuring their own safety.

Police officer Huang Kunfeng from Xiamen Traffic Police Brigade: When we advocate crossing zebra crossings, we must pay attention. One is to look left and right, not to look at electronic devices. First, ensure your own safety. After checking your own safety, quickly cross the zebra crossing without affecting other vehicles passing through.

Many citizens also expressed that this regulation can make urban transportation smoother and everyone's travel safer.

Ms. Cai, a citizen of Xiamen: I think it's quite good, including when we drive ourselves. If some pedestrians look at their phones while crossing zebra crossings, it may cause some traffic accidents.

Xiamen citizen Lv: For individuals, it is not safe to watch their phones cross the zebra crossing. If everyone "brushes their phones", the order of crossing the zebra crossing will be more chaotic. If vehicles and non motorized vehicles come and go, it will be more inconvenient, and I think this is quite good.

Xiamen City hopes to pass legislation to guide citizens to say "no" to "bow their heads" and other "reckless street crossing" behaviors. Under the guidance of early publicity, most citizens have gained some understanding of the new regulations, and the situation of pedestrians crossing zebra crossings "brushing their phones" has also significantly improved compared to before. On the first day of the implementation of the new regulations, traffic police promptly issued reminders to a few individuals who lowered their heads and "swiped their phones" across the zebra crossing.

Peng Chong, a police officer from the First Squadron of Xiamen Siming Traffic Police Brigade: Today's first day was mainly to do a propaganda work, explaining to us traffic participants the beneficial aspects of walking at zebra crossings according to regulations, reducing one aspect of traffic accidents, and making everyone more conscious of passing through zebra crossings in accordance with legal provisions. Cars make people abide by rules, and we work together to make zebra crossings smoother and safer.

Scientifically setting up zebra crossings, separating pedestrians and vehicles, and following their respective paths

A zebra crossing is a place where pedestrians, motor vehicles, and non motor vehicles intersect. How is it reasonable to set it up? What should be the relationship between the three? How to arrange the right of way? How can road rights be fairly allocated to ensure safety and improve traffic efficiency? The Xiamen Special Economic Zone Zebra Crossing Traffic Safety Management Regulations, which came into effect on August 1st, have systematically regulated these issues.

According to regulations, the setting of zebra crossings should comprehensively consider the needs of pedestrians crossing the road and the efficiency of vehicle traffic, maintain reasonable spacing, and take into account the planning and setting of other pedestrian crossing facilities. For the unreasonable setting of zebra crossings and related traffic safety facilities, the traffic management department of the public security organs should work together with departments such as resource planning, transportation, and municipal landscaping to adjust and optimize them in a timely manner according to their respective responsibilities.

In response to the problem of mixed traffic of pedestrians and non motorized vehicles on zebra crossings, regulations specify that, if conditions permit, a reasonable non motorized vehicle dedicated crossing passage should be set up next to the zebra crossing at the intersection, and non motorized vehicles and pedestrians should be separated for passage.

It is understood that as early as two or three years ago, Xiamen City had already implemented the "separation of human and non human" zebra crossing, and the traffic police department continuously tracked the results. More than 50 zebra crossings have been upgraded, achieving significant results. In the future, they will continue to be added in areas where conditions permit.

Zhao Shantian, a police officer from the Order Brigade of Xiamen Traffic Police Detachment: For some areas near zebra crossings where pedestrian parking space and conversion space are insufficient and require a large amount of road engineering, our traffic police department will also combine road upgrading and renovation, and then work together with the road rights unit to promote the renovation.