Spain’s DGT warns motorists about ‘zombie-pedestrians’ in a campaign

SPAIN’s traffic authority, DGT, has issued a warning about the dangers of ‘zombie pedestrians’ – people distracted by their phones while crossing the road.

DGT data shows that one third of pedestrians use their phone while crossing the street, increasing the risk to be hit by a car.

Scrolling while walking has also been cited as the leading cause of pedestrian deaths in urban areas.

In response, the agency has launched a nationwide awareness campaign under the slogan ‘You don’t want to miss anything, and you end up missing everything’.

The campaign, which coincides with Semana Santa (a period of high traffic on roads), is promoted via radio, TV, and social media to reduce accidents that are caused by distracted pedestrians.

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The video for the campaign shows a young boy stepping out onto a busy street while looking down at his mobile phone.

Around him, surreal scenes play out – including a celebrity being chased by paparazzi – but he remains oblivious to the traffic around him.

His distraction proves fatal as he is hit by an approaching car.

Through the new campaign, DGT aims to reduce accidents involving so-called ‘zombie pedestrians’ and encourage Spaniards to stay alert as streets become busier during Semana Santa.

Travel News by The Olive Press.