A new danger is on the rise in our homes and communities, and everyone with a cell phone is at risk.
I recently completed two different test courses focused on distracted walking and in both demonstrations, it took much longer to complete the course while I was texting AND I was much more likely to miss visual cues around me. When walking the same course without using my phone, I completed it in half the time without stepping in puddles, making texting errors or violating crosswalk signs. So, being distracted doesn't save time or result in better performance outcomes. But most importantly, distracted walking can result in injuries or death - which are on the rise.
When checking in means checking out
Whether you’re driving through town, traversing the airport concourse or attending a concert, you’ll see people with their heads down and their eyes trained on their phones. We are collectively losing focus on our surroundings and putting our safety - as well as the health and well-being of others - at risk.
If the danger seems minimal, it’s only because we’ve gotten complacent about what is acceptable risk - it is akin to walking around with our eyes closed or blinders on, but we erroneously perceive viewing our cell phones as something that makes us safer or more efficient when in many cases, it is just the opposite. With more cell phones and mobile devices in the U.S. than the current population, our phones are virtually an appendage we can’t live without. Messages about the dangers of texting and making calls while driving are starting to get through, but it’s time to recognize the dangers of distracted walking.
A danger to everyone
A University of Maryland study found, over a 10-year period from 2001 to 2011, distracted walking has been responsible for over 10,000 serious injuries as cell phones have found their way into each of our pockets.
According to recently released federal data on highway fatalities, there were 5,987 pedestrian fatalities in 2016 – the highest number since 1990. This represents an increase of 9.0 percent over the 2015 totals.
The risks extend to all age groups. While many of us may think of teenagers when we picture people distracted by their phones, younger children also have a high potential for injuries from distracted walking. One study used a video traffic simulation to demonstrate how just talking on a phone meant 10- to 11-year-olds paid less attention to traffic and experienced more close calls and virtual collisions with vehicles. This doesn’t even consider the risks of texting and looking down at a phone in a crosswalk.
And if you think senior citizens are safe from this risk, think again. Distracted walking poses such a problem for seniors that Honolulu – one of the cities most affected by this issue –recently passed a citywide ban on cell phone use when crossing the street.
Not surprisingly, this risk is significant for young adults who have grown up with cell phones - a study of two college campuses observed thousands of young adults texting, making calls and listening to headphones in roadways and crosswalks, putting them at risk for collisions with bikers and drivers.
Unfortunately, everyone is at risk, and we need a solution.
Look up: the solutions are right in front of us
The simplest, cheapest and fastest solution is for us all to stop using our phones while we’re walking, and not just in crosswalks and intersections. Over half of distracted walking injuries occur in our own homes, proving that we need to stay aware of our surroundings, whether they’re new or familiar.
Cities and states can also take preventative measures to protect pedestrians. London, for example, recently installed padding on light poles to prevent injuries to distracted walkers, and several cities have experimented with adding reminders in crosswalks to look up from your phone and watch for cars.
Above all, we can advocate for city or statewide bans on texting while walking. Honolulu’s recent ban is a great example, and several cities and states are considering enacting similar restrictions.
Removing the blinders
If there was a defect with our phones that was putting everyone with a device in danger, we’d demand a safety recall. But because we have normalized cell phone distractions, we compile fail videos of people falling into manholes or running into posts rather than addressing this as a safety issue. The next time you catch yourself or someone else walking while distracted, take action to keep each other safe.