Smartphone Usage: Smombies, beware!
Smartphone-obsessed pedestrians staring intently at their phones as they blunder through intersections and across footpaths are a danger both to themselves and other road users.
Ablenkung durch das Smartphone: Der Chat zur falschen Zeit kann Fußgänger gefährden. (Foto: DEKRA)
It’s no longer just in european capitals that road users need to take so-called “smombies” into consideration; these smartphone-obsessed pedestrians can nowadays be found wandering obliviously through virtually every town and city – staring intently at their phones as they blunder through intersections and across footpaths. Be they distracted by instant messaging or phone calls, or even just choosing the next track to listen to, they are a danger both to themselves and other road users.
Source: DEKRA Accident Research
As part of an international study, DEKRA’s Accident Research division recently discovered that the age bracket most affected by this trend is those between 25 and 35. Within the study, observers were also able to discover a difference in usage according to the gender of the smombie: Women were more likely to use their smartphone for instant messaging, whereas men prioritized their music.
Source: DEKRA Accident Research
The danger associated with being distracted by one’s smartphone was underestimated by both sexes. Exemplifying this, 22 percent of all road deaths in the European Union are pedestrians, and every tenth death on German roads is a direct result of the pedestrian’s behavior. Amongst the six European capitals under examination in the study, Stockholm led the pack in terms of smartphone usage on the move, with 23.6% across all age groups. In Amsterdam, that number was a little over eight percent.
More Efficiency due to Swarm Intelligence
In future, electric cars could contribute significantly to the smart and flexible use of electricity and grid stability. All around the world, pilot projects for bidirectional charging are underway. The challenges are great – but so are the potential benefits.
Parking Safely Means Arriving Safely
Safe parking lots for trucks remain in short supply. An EU-wide uniform safety standard for truck parking areas is intended to make the transportation of goods less dangerous and stressful. Digital booking platforms help to make more efficient use of parking spaces and make the daily lives of professional drivers more comfortable.
Train Stations Full of Superlatives and Curiosities
Train stations are not generally given a lot of attention, probably due to their purpose: People arriving there want to move on as quickly as possible. But it is often worth taking a closer look, because there are many unique and curious things about the buildings themselves.
