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Study says accidents caused by distracted walking on the rise

By KIRO 7 News Staff
By KIRO 7 News Staff

SEATTLE — While distracted driving is widely known as a serious problem, a new study from PEMCO Insurance says pedestrian accidents in Washington and Oregon caused by distracted walking are on the rise.

The PEMO Insurance Northwest Poll says such accidents are up 22 percent over the last two years.

More than 50 percent of the people polled in the study say they use their phone while walking to talk, text or read.

The June poll also says only 39 percent of multitasking pedestrians believe they're distracted, while nine out of ten drivers report seeing people walking on sidewalks or crossing a street who are distracted by other things.

While viral videos of distracted walking accidents such as people falling into fountains or walking into poles may be funny, distracted walking can be truly dangerous.

A man in Philadelphia fell off a subway platform and onto the tracks while talking on his phone, according to CBS News.  Luckily, no train was coming.

Distracted walking has become such a big problem in recent years that Injury Facts 2015, a statistical report on unintentional deaths and injuries published by the National Safety Council, for the first time has included statistics on cellphone distracted walking.

While many cities have made neighborhoods more walkable, the issue has become so serious that some towns, such as Fort Lee, New Jersey, have banned texting while walking, according to Safey.com.

And legislators in New York, Illinois, Arkansas and Nevada have all tried -- but failed -- to enact laws against texting and walking.

Researchers at The Ohio State University say an estimated 1,500 pedestrians were treated in emergency rooms in 2010 for injuries related to pedestrians using cellphones.

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