Watch your step! The two U.S. states where texting while walking Is actually illegal

In two states, it is illegal to walk and text at the same time. Though it may sound absurd, think about it: how many times have you been walking on a busy sidewalk when someone looking down at their phone bumps into you? Is it a serious enough offense to deserve its own law? The enforcement alone seems like enough of a hurdle to prevent such a bill from passing... nevertheless, municipalities in both Hawaii and New Jersey have laws on the books that make this behavior illegal!

The ban in Honolulu, Hawaii

In Hawaii, walking while texting is banned in the state’s capital, Honolulu. The ordinance went into effect in 2017 and prohibits pedestrians from using mobile electronic devices while crossing the street. According to Reader’s Digest, fines for violators start at $15, but don’t try your luck—repeat offenders can face penalties as high as $99.

NPR reported at the time the rule went into effect that unless a person was calling 911 while crossing a street, they would be subject to a fine. Honolulu city officials felt the ban was necessary after several pedestrians were injured while using their phones in crosswalks. The law, which applies to texting and other device use while crossing streets, was introduced to improve safety and reduce distracted walking incidents.

These types of rules first emerged in the Garden state

Fort Lee, a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, home to about 40,000 people, also has a ban on “dangerous walking,” with texting while walking being one example. The law, which took effect in March 2012, was introduced after concerns about pedestrian and driver safety. Violators are fined $85.

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