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To learn more about the perceptions and behaviors associated with distracted walking, AAOS commissioned a Distracted Walking Study in 2015. The study involved 2,000 respondents nationally, and another 500 respondents in each of the following eight cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta and Seattle.

First, while 78% of U.S. adults believe that distracted walking is a "serious" issue; three-quarters of Americans say it's "other people" who walk distracted. Only 29% of respondents admit that they, personally, have an issue.

And the sense of "it's not me, it's you" cuts across a range of distracted walking behaviors:

• Ninety percent say they see walkers talking on the phone (and 37% admit doing so themselves)
• Eighty-eight percent engaging in conversation (vs. 75% themselves)
• Eighty-eight percent listening to music (vs. 34% themselves)
• Eighty-five percent using a smartphone (vs. 28% themselves)
• Sixty-four percent generally "zoning out" (vs. 38% themselves)

Despite the obvious risks associated with distracted walking, as many respondents believe it is "embarrassing (in a silly way)" as feel it is "dangerous" (46%). Furthermore, 31% say distracted walking is "something I'm likely to do" and 22% think distracted walking is "funny," according to the study.

And distracted walking is resulting in injuries. Nearly 4 out of 10 Americans say they have personally witnessed a distracted walking incident, and just over a quarter (26%) say they have been in an incident themselves.

In addition:

• Of those injured in a distracted walking incident, women aged 55 and over are most likely to suffer serious injuries, while Millennials (ages 18 to 34) are least likely to be injured, according to the survey, despite the younger age group reporting higher rates of distracted walking incidents.
• Perceptions of distracted walking also differ by generation, with 70% of Millennials believing that distracted walking is a serious issue compared with 81% of individuals aged 35 and older.
• Millennials are more likely to engage in common distracted walking behaviors: texting, listening to music, and talking on the phone.
• Half of Millennials think distracted walking is "embarrassing--in a funny way."

Other research studies highlight the many dangers of distracted walking:

• Typing (texting) or reading a text alters a pedestrian's gait, speed, and walking pattern, according to a recent study.
• Teens and young adults, ages 16 to 25, were most likely to be injured as distracted pedestrians, and most were hurt while talking rather than texting: Talking on the phone accounted for 69% of injuries between 2004 and 2010. Texting accounted for 9% of injuries during the same period.
• Distracted pedestrians may have been a contributing factor in the 4,200 pedestrian deaths and 70,000 injuries in traffic crashes in 2010, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
• A recent study observed nearly one-third of pedestrians at 20 high-risk intersections in Seattle listening to music, texting, or using a cellphone. Those who texted took almost two seconds, or 18% longer, to cross the intersection compared with those who weren't distracted. Those who texted were four times more likely to display at least one "unsafe crossing behavior," such as ignoring traffic signals or failing to look both ways.
• In a recent study that looked at headphones and pedestrian distraction, of 116 reported deaths involving pedestrians wearing headphones, 68% were male and 67% were under the age of 30. The majority of vehicles involved in the crashes were trains (55%), and 89% of the incidents occurred in urban areas. Seventy-four percent of case reports stated that the victim was wearing headphones at the time of the crash.

To be safe and alert when walking, keep in mind these important tips:

• If you must use headphones or other electronic devices, maintain a volume where you can still hear the sounds of traffic and your surroundings.
• If you need to talk to a child or the person next to you, make a phone call, text or other action that could distract you from the goal of getting where you need to go safely, stop and do so away from the pedestrian traffic flow.
• While you walk, focus on the people, objects, and obstacles around you.
• Don't jaywalk. Cross streets carefully, preferably at a traffic light, remaining cognizant of the pedestrian traffic flow and the cars and bikes in and near the road.
• Look up, not down, especially when stepping off or onto curbs or in the middle of major intersections; and/or when walking or approaching on stairs or escalators.
• Stay alert in mall and other parking lots, and on and near streets, especially during the winter months when it gets dark earlier and drivers are not as likely to see you.

#DigitalDeadwalker

Related Resources from AAOS:

Press Release: Distracted Walking—A Serious Issue for You, Not Me

Audio: "Digital Deadwalkers" radio PSA

Related Resources from Other Organizations:

Headphone Use and Pedestrian Injury and Death

Impact of Social and Technological Distraction on Pedestrian Crossing Behaviour

Message to Self: In 2015, Stop Texting While Walking

National Highway Transportation Safety Administration: Everyone Is a Pedestrian

Pedestrian Injuries Due to Mobile Phone Use in Public Places

Safety Experts to Pedestrians: Put the Smartphones Down and Pay Attention

Texting and Walking: Strategies for Postural Control and Implications for Safety