德国出新招拯救低头族：红绿灯装地上？！

 　　Most of us are used to seeing traffic lights above eye level. Whether we are driving, biking, or walking, traffic signals help us know when to stop and when it is safe to proceed.

　　我们多数人都习惯看和我们眼睛一个高度的红绿灯。无论是开车、骑行、还是步行，交通信号有助我们了解何时止步、何时又能安全继续前行。

　　Crossing signs that flash “WALK” and “DON’T WALK” are placed at intersections² to tell pedestrians³ when it is safe to cross a busy intersection¹ on foot and prevent pedestrians from being struck by motorists.

　　道口的标志闪着“步行”，和“禁止步行”，放置在十字路口告诉行人何时才能安全步行穿过繁忙的十字路口，防止行人被摩托车手撞到。

　　德国出新招拯救低头族：红绿灯装地上？！

　　Pedestrians may become impatient and attempt to cross against the light if they have to wait too long for a WALK sign. In addition, some signals do now allow enough time for pedestrians to cross an intersection safely.

　　如果行人等“步行”标识太久，则会失去耐心、试图穿越红灯。此外，有些信号并没有给行人足够时间安全穿过十字路口。

　　The prevalence of people talking on cells phones is posing a new distraction⁴ however. Pedestrians who are talking on the phone or sending text messages are typically staring at their phones rather than looking for traffic signals. They are often too distracted, leading to an increase in pedestrian texting accidents.

　　然而，糟心的是，边走路边打电话已经成为主流。通常，一边聊电话或发短信的行人都盯着手机看，而不看信号灯。他们太过分心，导致行人发短信引发的车祸数量增加。

　　The connection between cellphone use and pedestrian accidents is clear.

　　使用手机和行人遭遇车祸间的联系显而易见。

　　To combat the problem, two cities in Germany are trying an innovative⁵ approach: installing traffic lights in the ground.

　　为了对抗这一问题，德国两大城市实施创新之举：在地上安装信号灯。

　　The German city of Augsburg installed traffic lights in the sidewalk that face up at pedestrians to create a whole new level of attention.

　　德国城市奥格斯堡在人行道上直面行人安装了信号灯，以此引发新一轮关注。

　　New Jersey⁶ lawmakers have even proposed legislation that would ban distracted walking, fining those who use their cellphones while walking $50.

　　新泽西立法者已经提议立法，禁止步行时分心，对走路时用手机者处以50美元的罚款。

1 intersection   

n.交集，十字路口，交叉点；[计算机] 交集

参考例句：

• There is a stop sign at an intersection.在交叉路口处有停车标志。
• Bridges are used to avoid the intersection of a railway and a highway.桥用来避免铁路和公路直接交叉。

2 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句

3 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 distraction   

n.精神涣散，精神不集中，消遣，娱乐

参考例句：

• Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注，不能有丝毫分神。
• Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。

5 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

6 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。