Apr 08, 2014 in News Accident Benefits Claims

Accident Benefits Claims: Distracted pedestrians are becoming a safety issue

With devices becoming more mobile and multi-functional, it's a common sight to see someone walking with their eyes focused on their cellphones or a music player instead of where they are headed. Just like it isn't a good idea for a distracted driver to take their eyes off the road, the same should be said for a pedestrian.

It's fairly common to see a person walking down the street, while typing out a text message or fiddling with their music. This has become a habit for many and more people have landed themselves in the hospital from it. In 2010, more than 1,500 pedestrians were taken to emergency rooms in the United States from injuries related to a cellphone while they were walking, according to a study published in the Accident Analysis and Prevention Journal. This amount has doubled since the survey was conducted five years ago, says lead researcher Jack Nasar, and this number is likely higher since not all the incidents are reported. This is more likely to happen to people between the ages of 16 to 25.

Another Australian study shows that people walking with cellphones aren't able to walk in a straight line while reading from them or texting. This distraction also caused test subjects to walk slower, unevenly with rigid posture and poor balance.

The story of a woman who fell into a bay because she was checking Facebook went worldwide. She walked off a pier in Melbourne and unfortunately, she didn't know how to swim. She called for help and nearby police saved her. She was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Another man was busy chatting on his cellphone that he didn't realize that he was walking onto the train tracks in Philadelphia. He was lucky there were no trains approaching, but it took him a while to recover from the fall off the platform and to pull himself out.

Unfortunately, a Montreal woman died after she fell in a gap between two subway cars. She was crushed by the train's wheels and was dragged for two stops. Video footage shows the woman's head was down and author_idities believe she was distracted by her cellphone, according to Global News.

While a Toronto woman was killed after she was hit by a truck while she was chatting on the phone with a friend. She was on the way home after dinner and she had ignored honking in the background as she walked on the road. The driver was charged for failing to yield to a pedestrian, according to the Toronto Star.

In a review of pedestrian fatalities in 2010, the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario found that 20 per cent of the pedestrians involved were distracted by means such as using a cell phone; MP3 player; a mobile device; pushing a shopping cart; walking a dog; or riding a skateboard. While it's not illegal to cross the street distracted, Toronto Police have launched distracted walking safety campaigns to ensure that pedestrians pay attention when they're crossing intersections.

If there's a green light that gives vehicles the right of way, it's important that drivers continue to watch out and yield for pedestrians who might not be paying attention. Vehicle drivers should check that pedestrians make eye contact with the driver before walking or honk to get their attention.

Pedestrians should stay alert and keep their head up, especially when crossing the roads. If they are listening to music, it's important that it's not turned on too loud that they can't hear anything. Also, they should look both ways before crossing and not play with electronics while crossing.

If you are involved in a pedestrian-vehicle accident, the personal injury and accident lawyers at Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers have handled personal injury claims for clients throughout Ontario for more than 50 years. We know how to get you the compensation you need. Call us at 416-920-4242 to set up a free consultation. Come chat with us!