Pedestrians in Italy could be fined for crossing the road while looking at phone

The measure will not apply to pedestrians using earphones or hands-free devices - (Getty Images)

Pedestrians caught crossing the street while on their phone in Italy could be fined more than €75 (£65) under new regulations.

The Italian Ministry of Transport has proposed a draft plan to punish distracted walkers using mobiles, laptops, tablets and digital cameras as part of a reform of its highway code, reported Italian newspaper Fanpage.it.