Tips For Avoiding Distracted Walking Injuries?

The dangers of distracted driving have been a debate topic for a couple of years now, which has led almost all states across the country to put some sort of laws into effect that penalize those who use their cell phones while driving. Apart from motorists, a lot of pedestrians get injured in accidents caused by distracted drivers, too. But, pedestrian safety is affected by another factor, in addition to distracted driving. It's distracted walking, which refers to pedestrians who are talking on their cell phones, typing text messages, or doing some other distracting activity while walking down a sidewalk or crossing a street.

In 2010, over 1,500 people got injured while walking on a street and using their cell phones at the same time. The number of injuries caused by distracted walking has been climbing steadily during the last couple of years. There is lots of scientific evidence proving that talking on a cell phone while walking causes a cognitive distraction. It takes a lot of brain power to talk on a phone and stay aware of your surroundings while walking.

Distracted pedestrians are not only a hazard to themselves, but to other road users, as well. A lot of drivers end up hitting another car or some other object as they try to avoid a pedestrian crossing a street against a red light. That's why various states are trying to come up with different ways to prevent people from talking on cell phones while walking. Some states have implemented laws that make this activity illegal, imposing fines for those who do it, while others have only launched various campaigns to raise people's awareness of this issue.

When it comes to distracted walking laws, there is the example of the state of Utah, where legislators passed a law with a $50 fine for distracted walking, but only around Utah Transit Authority rail lines. Legislators were motivated to pass this law by the high number of train accidents that have happened recently.

There are some states that don't punish distracted walking in any way, such as Delaware and New York, where large stickers with the words “Look Up” have been placed on sidewalks near crosswalks, reminding pedestrians to take a look around them and see whether it's safe to cross the street before they set a foot on the crosswalk.

Finally, pedestrians should remember to put down their phones while walking, or step to the side when talking, in case they really have to make a phone call. Also, they should avoid listening to music and reading a book while walking.