Put away the cell
We’ve all heard the warnings, seen the commercials, and read the horror stories about texting and driving. But, what about texting and walking?
As harmless as it sounds, a recent published study conducted by Ohio State University researchers on the dangers of distracted walking showed that over 1,500 people nationwide had been taken to emergency rooms in 2010, for injuries sustained while using a cell phone while walking in public. This is double the number of injuries seen by hospitals in 2005.
If you’re thinking that you won’t get hurt, think again. Earlier in the year, a 23-year-old woman was hit by a car as she texted while crossing a street. Later, a 14-year-old boy fell off a bridge while texting and severely injured his shoulders and chest.
“If current trends continue, I wouldn’t be surprised if the number of injuries to pedestrians caused by cell phones doubles again between 2010 and 2015,” said Jack Nasar, professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University and co-author of the study.
It is more common for young people to be injured while using a cell phone. Walking and talking on a cell accounted for 69 percent of injuries compared to texting, which accounted for around 9 percent. But Nasar said that’s only because more people talk on a cell than text while walking.
The researchers examined about seven years’ worth of data, taken from a database that took injury reports from 100 of the nation’s hospitals. The results were then used to calculate a national average and to estimate total injury rates.
“Parents already teach their children to look both ways when crossing the street,” said Nasar, adding, “they should also teach them to put away their cell phone when walking, particularly when crossing a street.”
Julianna Chen is a sixth grade student at McMurray Elementary.