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Traffic lights embedded into sidewalk to save "Smartphone zombies"

AUGSBURG, GERMANY — In Germany they call them "Smombies," meaning a smartphone zombie, and now they have their own traffic lights.

The city of Augsburg was shocked when a 15 year old girl, distracted by her smartphone and headphones walked into a tram and was killed.  It was the just the latest in a series of accidents involving the quiet electric trams.  To catch the attention of Smombies, the city installed a duplicate set of traffic lights into the pavement to catch the eyes of people staring down at their smartphones.  The lights rapidly blink red whenever the pedestrians don't have the right of way.  So far the lights are in operation at two tram stops but more are coming.