We all know the dangers of texting while driving. But have you thought about the dangers of texting while walking? Texting while walking can pose dangers to yourself and others around you. No matter if you are operating a motor vehicle or merely walking down the street, it is important that you pay attention to your surroundings. There are many dangers that texting while walking create that are commonly ignored by pedestrians.
To start, texting while walking causes you to be distracted from the environment around you. This is no surprise. This absentmindedness can lead you into a dangerous situation, which can cause substantial injury. For instance, you can unintentionally walk into the middle of a roadway when it is unsafe and put yourself and drivers into harm’s way. Although motor vehicles are supposed to yield to pedestrians, pedestrians should not be contributing to unsafe road conditions by attempting to walk across the street when traffic conditions are not conducive to doing so. If you are walking and looking at your phone you are less likely to look both ways before crossing the street and more likely to be hit by a motor vehicle.
Moreover, texting while walking can lead to injuring yourself. For example, when you are not paying attention to where you are walking you can accidentally step into a pothole or trip on a curb. These types of occurrences can lead to serious injuries. Although you may not be moving at a high rate of speed at the time you trip and fall, such a fall can certainly lead to injuries to numerous parts of your body, including, but not limited to, your feet, ankles, hips, back and head. Walking and texting can contribute to you missing hazards on the sidewalk that you normally would spot and cause you to injure yourself.
Finally, looking at your phone while walking can lead you to injure others. Walking and texting can cause you to inadvertently run into others around you and cause injury. Whether that is knocking someone over or causing someone to stumble, not being aware of your surroundings can result in unintentional injury.
We all need to start thinking about the dangers of texting while walking. Although a very innocent action, texting and walking simultaneously can lead you into unnecessary danger and expose you to substantial injury. The next time you are going on a stroll, please be cognizant of the associated dangers of texting while walking. Placing your phone or smart device in your pocket while walking can help keep you and others around you safe.
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