Every single day you walk, and for most of the time you may believe you are acting safely while walking. But do you text & walk? Think about this for a minute…how many times a day do you walk and keep your head down to use your phone? According to a recent article in Readers Digest it has stated that researchers have found that, over a decade’s time, texting and walking has caused more than 11,100 injuries. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian deaths numbered 5,376—and were the only group of road users whose fatality numbers increased.
To read the article in full: https://www.rd.com/culture/texting-and-walking-injuries/
It is a known fact that people who use their phones when walking or driving have slower reaction times and pay less attention to their surroundings, leading to be more at risk of an injury.
Here are the injury facts:
- 52% of cell phone distracted walking injuries happen at home
- 68% of those injured are women
- 54% are age 40 or younger
- Nearly 80% of the injuries were due to a fall
Despite the dangers of texting while walking, pedestrians continue to ignore the warnings and a recent study found that nearly one-third of all pedestrians performed some sort of distracting activity while crossing the street, including listening to music (11.2%); texting (7.3%); and using a handheld phone (6.2%).
Unwilling to give up your right to text and walk?
The decision may soon be taken out of your hands & it may cost you:
- It’s Now Illegal To Text While Crossing The Street In Honolulu
- In 2012, Fort Lee, a municipality in New Jersey, banned texting while walking. Violations come with an $85 ticket.
- A ban on pedestrians looking at mobile phones or texting while crossing the street will take effect in Hawaii’s largest city in late October. Fines will start at $15 and go as high as $99 for multiple violations.
- London, England found a slightly more polite way to handle it—by padding lampposts.
- Legislators in Arkansas, Illinois, and New York State have been trying to pass laws banning the use of mobile devices while walking.
- Stamford, Connecticut, may be the next city to fine you for texting and walking; they may include talking on the phone or listening to music with headphones while crossing the street.
Cell phones are a big part of everyday life for most people. When motorists and pedestrians get distracted by their phones, however, serious accidents can happen. If you have been hurt by a distracted driver, or you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact Siler & Ingber on 1-877-718-6079 to speak to one of our experienced attorneys for a free case evaluation.