Let’s face it, we live in a world where our smartphones have pretty much become an extension of ourselves — especially while traveling. Whether we’re planning a new trip on an itinerary app, researching local attractions, doing our best to try and communicate with the locals abroad, or just sharing travel moments on Instagram, our phones demand constant attention. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see tourists wandering through foreign cities with their eyes glued to screens.
That said, this modern behavior has created its fair share of safety hazards for tourists and locals alike — especially in busy urban environments that demand a lot more attention and caution. Specifically, busy intersections and crosswalks have become particularly hazardous zones for distracted pedestrians who fail to notice changing traffic signals or oncoming vehicles, sometimes leading to some pretty serious accidents. In fact, the phenomenon has become so widespread that it has led to a new term: “smombies” (or “smartphone zombies”) – a not-so-endearing way to refer to people walking around so absorbed in their devices that they basically navigate public spaces with the awareness level of the undead.
Thankfully, some countries are finding new ways to combat this growing problem. One of these is South Korea, specifically Seoul. Known for their innovative tech solutions, the Asian nation has responded to this growing safety concern — not by trying to fight against smartphone addiction (often unsuccessfully), but by taking things a step further and actually adapting their infrastructure to accommodate it. How? By installing LED traffic lights directly in the ground at crosswalks so that pedestrians can see signal changes without ever looking up from their screens. This unique strategy ultimately creates a safer environment for both travelers hoping to safely use their phones overseas and locals who can’t seem to tear their eyes away from their screens.
The in-ground lights are designed for pedestrians
South Korea’s approach to pedestrian safety doesn’t stop there
Seoul’s in-ground pedestrian traffic lights are just one small component of South Korea’s broader “smart crossing initiative,” which includes using different strategies and technologies, from artificial intelligence to radar and thermal cameras, to help create a safer environment on and off the road. This comprehensive approach — along with country-wide efforts to improve education, awareness, enforcement, and infrastructure — has already led to meaningful results. Most impressively, there was a 49.2% decrease in road deaths across the country between 2012 and 2022, with pedestrian fatalities specifically dropping by a whopping 54% (via The Korea Herald).
Better yet, what started off as an innovative safety measure specifically for South Korea’s “smombies” has actually delivered some significant, unexpected benefits outside of the phone-obsessed crowd. According to local police officers, these lights have also been incredibly useful in encouraging young children to stay further away from the road. This ultimately makes the LED ground lights particularly valuable in school zones and teaches even the youngest pedestrians the importance of backing away and keeping your eyes peeled for traffic.
