They are the ultimate acceptance of the younger generation's obsession with their mobile phones, but texting lanes will not be found on Canberra's university campuses any time soon.
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News the Utah Valley University in the United States had installed a text lane, next to lanes for running and walking students, in one of its buildings on June 7 attracted international attention and naturally sparked wide interest on social media.
University creative director Matt Bambrough told US media the neon dividing lanes were '"more aesthetic than functional" and most texters were not following the posted lanes.
"This was certainly done in a way that was meant to be fun and not to be a directive of the university," he said.
A University of Canberra spokeswoman said the lanes were not being considered for introduction on campus.
"And we haven't had any reports of accidents on campus where people have been distracted by their phones," she said.
An Australian National University spokesman said he was unaware of any proposals or consideration to introduce the lanes at the university.
No data was available on any accidents on campus involving texting or people distracted by phones, he said.
A 2013 study found more than 1500 pedestrians were estimated to be treated in emergency rooms in the US in 2010 for injuries related to using a mobile phone while walking, a more than fivefold increase from five years earlier.
The study found those aged 16 to 25 were most likely to be injured as distracted pedestrians, and most were hurt while talking rather than texting.
Preliminary research from the Queensland University of Technology reported earlier this year found one in five people surveyed texted at least once a day while crossing the road, and 15 per cent blamed near misses with vehicles on their phone distraction.
