GNR police have launched a humorous albeit serious warning urging drivers in Portugal to beware of ‘smartphone zombies’ – pedestrians who are so focused on their phones that they pay little attention to their surroundings.
An image posted on the police force’s Facebook page shows a sign that reads “Beware of Zombies” while a man crosses a busy road while fixed on his phone.
The image has already been shared by hundreds of people, many of whom commented about their close-calls with these so-called ‘phone zombies’.
This kind of digital distraction has become a serious issue around the world in recent years, with some cities like Antwerp (Belgium) and Chongqing (China) even creating special walking lanes for people who are texting or using their phone.
‘Smartphone zombies’ have become so common around the world that there is even a Wikipedia page about them (click here).
michael.bruxo@algarveresident.com
