Teens, Electronics and Walking, a Dangerous Mix

There’s a new report out from Safe Kids Worldwide that says teens can’t put their phones down, even when they’re crossing a busy street. One in five high school students and one in eight middle schoolers cross the street while fiddling with a digital device. In a state like New Jersey, where our roadways are busy and pedestrians last year accounted for 27 percent of all roadway fatalities, parents should be concerned. In fact, moms and dads should be on high alert.  

Teens account for 50 percent of all pedestrian deaths among kids ages 19 and under. And pedestrian injuries among teens 16-19 years of age are on the rise, increasing 25 percent in the last five years. The researchers who conducted the Safe Kids study observed children and teens crossing at intersections near 68 high schools in 17 states, including New Jersey.  hey observed 34,000 street crossings, noting who was distracted by a device.  

Listening to music and texting topped the list of distractions, with 39 percent typing on a phone and another 39 percent using headphones. Approximately 20 percent of the distracted walkers were talking on a phone and the remainder were using some type of electronic device such as a tablet or game. Girls were more likely to be distracted than boys, but not by much. In fact, the pedestrian death rate is 1.8 times higher for boys. 

What’s the take-away here? While there’s general agreement that distracted driving is dangerous and particularly so for teens, the age group with the highest crash risk, distracted walking isn’t safe either. According to the researchers, teens more than any other age group are likely to walk distracted, but inclined to think some other age-group is at risk.

Teens on foot (and everyone, for that matter) need to be just as focused on what they’re doing as the guy and gal behind the wheel. Safety is a shared responsibility. While New Jersey’s pedestrian safety law infers that the driver is likely to be at-fault in the event of a collision with a pedestrian who is crossing in a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, both parties must exercise due care. Additionally, the law is clear -- pedestrians must obey all signs and signals. If, however, they’re engrossed in texting, a cell phone conversation or shuffling through their iPod playlist, will they notice the DO NOT walk sign, that approaching vehicle, or even other pedestrians around them?  

Regardless of your mode of transport, being 100 percent focused on the road is essential.  As your children head off to school this week, start an ongoing dialogue with them about what they need to do to be safe on the road.  Whether they’re walking, bicycling or driving to school, reinforce that electronics and traffic don’t mix. Check out the Safe Kids’ Moment of Silence Campaign with your teens, which promotes putting your device down and keeping your head up. Take the pledge together and then put that promise into action.