Distracted walking poses dangers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jacob Chromy
  • 66th Air Base Group Safety Office
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  There are plenty of warnings circulating about the dangers of distracted driving. There is, however, another risky behavior with cell phones that can be hazardous to one's health: distracted walking.

The Safety Office has received several complaints lately of people texting while walking in the crosswalks on base. Consumer Reports says it is a growing problem.

On city streets, in suburban parking lots and in shopping centers there is usually someone strolling while talking on a phone, texting with his or her head down, listening to music or playing a video game. The problem is not as widely discussed as distracted driving, but the danger is real.

Reports of injuries to distracted walkers treated at hospital emergency rooms have more than quadrupled in the past seven years and are almost certainly underreported. There has been a spike in pedestrians killed and injured in traffic accidents, but there is no reliable data on how many were distracted by electronics. According to the Federal Highway Administration, every seven minutes a pedestrian is either killed or injured.

Jonathan Akins, deputy executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices, talked about being in the same place with cell phone use in cars around 10 years ago. Although it was known to be a problem, there was not data to support it.

In a just-released nationwide poll, Consumer Reports found that 85 percent of Americans had recently seen someone use a mobile device to talk, text, email or use apps while walking. Of those who had witnessed such behavior, 52 percent said the pedestrians endangered themselves or others.

The numbers are hard to pin down, but injuries occurring while pedestrians are using a mobile device appear to be going up.

In 2011 alone, more than 1,000 people were treated for distracted walking, according to data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. That number is likely a gross underestimate since many doctors or nurses may not have asked whether the patient was using a mobile device at the time of the accident.

Here are some basic safety tips for pedestrians using the crosswalks:

· Always cross at marked crosswalks.
· Before using the crosswalk, stop and look left-right-left to make sure the road is clear in both directions before crossing.
· If the crosswalk has a pedestrian signal, use the signal prior to crossing the street.
· If a vehicle approaches, make eye contact with the driver before crossing and make sure the cars are stopped.

Remember, wearing portable headphones, earphones, cellular phones, mp3 players or other listening and entertainment devices are prohibited on base in accordance with AFI 91-207. When off-base, make sure they are not being used when crossing the cross walks or the pedestrian may be unable to hear emergency signals, alarms, announcements, approaching vehicles, human speech and outside noise in general.

Drivers must:

· Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections.
· Be prepared to stop at all marked crosswalks, stay alert and reduce speed in areas with crosswalks.
· Be alert for bicyclists and skateboarders whose approaches to crosswalks may be much swifter than those of pedestrians.
· Come to a complete stop if pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross.
· Wait until pedestrians have crossed at least one lane past the lane you are in before resuming travel.
· Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down at a crosswalk.

There are numerous distracting items available, such as cell phones, mp3 players or games, but pedestrians and drivers need to put away the distractions and focus on the task at hand. Whether it is crossing the street or driving on the road, one distraction could cost a life.