Texting while walking banned in N.J. town

Flickr/Zawezome

(CBS News) FORT LEE, N.J. - Texting while jaywalking may land you a ticket in Fort Lee, N.J.

As with most other states, texting while driving is already banned in New Jersey. Now Fort Lee police chief Thomas Ripoli are holding pedestrians accountable by asking them to be more aware.

There have been 23 pedestrian accidents since January, Fort Lee police chief told CBS New York. While most accidents were minor, three fatalities were reported.

"They're not alert and they're not watching what they're doing," Ripoli told CBS New York's Derricke Dennis. "As of now, [officers are] to give summonses to pedestrians who do not adhere to crosswalks and the lights."

There have been some outrageous viral videos of people distracted while texting. Recently, a Los Angeles man almost ran into a bear while texting. Another video shows a woman in a mall who fell into a water fountain because she was distracted from texting.

The woman who fell in the fountain regretted her carelessness in retrospect, emphasizing the dangers of texting while walking.

The texting while jaywalking ban went into effect in the northern New Jersey in March.

Correction posted  May 15, 2012 8:28 a.m. ET: Original story implied text and walking would get you a ticket. Tickets will be handed out for "dangerous walking," which could include texting and walking but does not necessarily have to.

Watch: Woman discusses mall fountain accident

[thefilmboys]

check out a skit about this on youtube look up walking while texting film boys

[dcspsu]

Why do we continue to try and make the world idiot-proof?

[BigMykul]

Do you have to be observed walking, or can you be standing and the cop say he saw you walking?

[riotalright]

Ok, to break this down,these are obviously not still video cameras since the camera is swaying in each angle. Now the chances of 2 seperate people in 2 locations knew this accident was going to happen and zeroed in on the lady with thier home video cameras,please! It all appears staged as is much of the news we see anymore.
Of coarse you would ask why, and it's as simple as talking heads promising to sell this junk to the gullible citizens because the bottom line is mass revenue from coast to coast tickets. Way to much goverment.Swaying video cameras- we get no credit at all, HOLLYWOOD THEATRICS- lies lies and more lies, and an $85 ticket! How to get rich quick scam- disgusting !!!

[DJBrymo]

The 2 angles are from the mall security cameras. Here is a youtube video that shows a mall employee showing the video to his friends.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPW8xmI4w6U

[WiseAsOwl]

Ahem... Have you had enough Liberalism, YET ????????????????? If you haven't, I'm sure there's more on the way...

[jmn122736]

WiseAsOw Wants to know if you have had enough liberty/freedom yet?


I'm sure he/she would be happy if people were imprisoned for using the bathroom in the morning.

[vikinggal47]

Just another of the many rights that we are losing.

[jkemm]

I drive to Yale everyday and have come very close to hitting students who are texting or on the phone and obviously not paying attention while they cross intersections. It's scary.

[jtdev1]

Dear Government, Please create more laws that will protect myself from myself.

Also, Please make it legal that I can sue myself when I let myself cause injury to myself.


Sincerely,

Myself

[AOCGUY]

Somethings are just dumb. Texting while walking is one of those things and so is making it illegal. OK who wants to be the first cop to ticket someone for this?

[jtdev1]

I bet they are lining up to be the first cop to write that $85 ticket.

Look at all the press they will receive, their name in the papers, all over the news...

[LeJardin_CBS]

Can't believe Christie would even countenance this... what a disappointment. The nanny state needs to be beaten to a pulp.