Pregnancy alarm aims to boost manners on public transport

A clever tech system in South Korea is helping pregnant women find seats on trains by alerting passengers and shaming them into action.

"The Pink Light" campaign is designed to avoid that awkward moment on public transport when a well-meaning passenger gives up their seat to a woman who turns out not to be bearing child.

Similarly, the pink light system, a small disc which is positioned inside carriages and keeps flashing until a seat becomes free, should help nudge impolite commuters towards acts of generosity.

Pregnant women apply for a sensor that they carry and which activates the alarm above priority seating when she boards a train, BBC reports.

The trial is currently being tested in Busan, South Korea's second most populous city.

Many pregnant women around the world's largest cities will be familiar with eyes of fellow passengers flashing towards the floor, and it is hoped the highly visible pink light may prove harder to ignore.

Some women using the system during the trial have reported feeling embarrassed because of unwanted attention.