The United States National Safety Council says enforcement and education will be crucial now that Honolulu's "distracted walking" law has come into force.
Busy intersection on Kalakaua Avenue on April 27, 2014 in Waikiki, Hawaii Kalakaua Avenue is the favorite luxury shopping strip for tourists visiting Hawaii Photo: Copyright: jewhyte / 123RF Stock Photo
A law banning people from using a phone or other electronic device while crossing the street started this week.
A council spokesperson Maureen Vogel said there would be ongoing education to help change people's habits.
"If they understand that pedestrian deaths are going up, if they understand that there are risks to their safety if they are looking at their phone instead of at their environment, if they understand all those things then they will take steps to help themselves be safer," she said.
