Africa-Press – Botswana. The Botswana Police Service (BPS) has announced that pedestrians who are found walking down the street with earphones or headphones on will be charged and arrested.
“Everyone seen walking along the road with headphones on will be charged or arrested…,” the BPS announced on Radio Botswana 2 (RB2) recently.
The main reason for this law, according to the police, is inattention. They claim that wearing earphones or headphones takes away your concentration and can lead to accidents, especially when crossing busy city streets
According to some international research, using headphones or earphones while walking could endanger pedestrian safety. Sadly, in Botswana, accidents involving pedestrians using headphones on the streets of Botswana have become all too frequent.
Teenagers, men, and young adults are most at danger of injuring themselves because they were distracted by their earphones when strolling down the street, which has caused a sharp spike in injuries.
However, the BPS announcement that they will arrest anyone walking down the street wearing earphones has caused widespread consternation and concern among some citizens. There are certain murky areas that the police will need to clarify, according to some worried citizens who spoke with this publication.
“There is some ambiguity. Is it illegal for drivers to play loud music or listen to music through earphones while driving? If so, how will they know if the driver is listening to music while wearing earphones? “It’s a distraction in either case, so they shouldn’t use it,” says a concerned citizen.
While other factors, such as unsafe driving by speeding, distracted, or intoxicated drivers result in pedestrian deaths, a former law enforcement officer who spoke to this publication on the condition of anonymity said that pedestrians and cyclists are more vulnerable on the road and that as a precaution, they should avoid using devices when near the road – despite a desire and thirst for connectivity.
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