UK drivers are banned from talking into mobiles for legitimate reasons, but are walking and talking pedestrians a public health hazard too? One US legislator thinks so, and he’s drawn up a bill banning people from doing that.

Republican politician Kenneth Dunkin hopes his bizarre bill will make it illegal to use a mobile phone whilst crossing the street. If the bill makes it into Illinois state law then those caught dicing with death could be fined, in much the same way that jaywalking carries a legal penalty.

Jesse White, Illinois’ Secretary of State, backs Dunkin’s bill. But White told the Chicago Sun-Times that the law should only apply to people talking into mobile phones whilst simultaneously jaywalking.

A spokesman for Dunkin said the politician has noticed a pattern of pedestrians talking into mobile phones coming dangerously close to being hit by a car.

The US publication questioned several US people about the bill. One person said “It's no different than if I'm walking with a friend and talking". But another person didn’t have such a problem with the proposed bill and said “they ban cell phones in cars now, so why not on crosswalks?"

Register Hardware wants to know your thoughts about the proposed bill. Is it a nanny-state step too far? Should we all be given bubble wrap suits for stepping outside? Or perhaps the bill could reduce the number of pedestrian-to-car fatalities? Leave your comment to let us know.

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