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Accidents from Distracted Walkers are on the Rise

The New York Times reports that visits to emergency rooms for injuries involving distracted pedestrians on cellphones more than doubled between 2004 and 2010 and continues to grow.  Peripheral vision can drop to 10 percent of normal when a person is texting or talking on a phone while walking.  Though distracted walking is most common among 18 to 34 year old, it is women 55 and older who are most likely to suffer serious injuries after a collision. Digitally distracted walkers also get hurt.  They have been hit by vehicles, fallen down stairs and escalators, tripped over curbs, walked into glass doors, and fallen into fountains and swimming pools.

To help pedestrians stay injury free while walking, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends:

■ When using headphones, keep the volume low enough to be able to hear surrounding traffic.

■ Stay focused on the people, objects and obstacles in front of and around you. Window shoppers are especially prone to pedestrian collisions.

■ Don’t jaywalk. Use crosswalks and obey traffic signals. Be especially aware of bicycles coming your way.

■ Look ahead of you, not down, when stepping on or off a curb or approaching stairs or escalators.

■ Stay alert to vehicles pulling in or out of parking lots.

■ If you must make or take a call or send a text while walking, stop and step out of the flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.  Resume walking only when the task is completed.

The AAOS and other safety organizations created a public service announcement called, “Digital Deadwalkers” to encourage pedestrians not to walk while distracted by their cell phones.  The video can be viewed at http://newsroom.aaos.org/video_display.cfm?video_id=6813

If you have been involved in an Arizona motor vehicle accident, we’re here to help. Khalidi Law Firm, PLLC has more than two decades’ experience litigating vehicle accidents, including cars, motorcyclestrucks and even bicycles from our offices in Tucson’s Barrio Historica.