Locally, the word ‘Smombies’ has even been coined to refer to people who come-a-cropper while paying more attention to their phone than their surroundings.

One in five pedestrians is reportedly at risk from a distraction caused by smartphones according to local research and the city council says that putting airbags on the lampposts is a way of signposting the fact that people need to be more careful when using their smartphones and walking around town.

KFV expert Martin Pfanner, said: “We are of the opinion that when people see this very public warning in the form of lamppost airbags of the dangers of not paying attention, they will change their behaviour.”

Local media interviewed people who confirmed that on seeing the lampposts it reminded them to take more care, and they stuffed their smartphones into their pockets.

Pfanner added that the situation is so severe that it is now pedestrians who are involved in more accidents than anyone else on the city streets, including cyclists, moped drivers and car drivers.

He said that the lamppost airbags are necessary because in terms of accidents, 40 per cent of the injured pedestrians were hurt because they were distracted at the time of the injury.