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A “distracted walking injury” is a plain-language description of an injury that happens while someone is walking with their attention diverted from navigating their surroundings. It is not established here as a formal medical diagnosis, and the phrase alone does not prove that distraction caused the injury.
What counts as distracted walking?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines pedestrian distraction as “anything that diverts a traveler’s attention from the primary task of navigating the roadway environment and responding to critical events.” In everyday terms, it is walking while some of your attention is occupied by something other than your route and nearby hazards.
Phone use is one example, but distraction is broader than looking at a screen. Listening to music, talking, or focusing on a thought can also draw attention away from the surrounding environment. NHTSA’s definition focuses on diverted attention, not on a particular device.
Does the phrase mean distraction caused the injury?
No. The phrase describes the circumstances in which harm occurred; it does not, by itself, establish why the person was injured. An injury during a distracted walk may also involve roadway design or conditions, a vehicle, weather, or another road user’s behavior.
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NHTSA’s review says the limited research associates pedestrian distraction with a small but statistically significant decrease in safety. However, real-world observational findings are mixed, and the studies reviewed do not establish a direct link between pedestrian distraction and pedestrian-involved crashes.
What do the studies show?
Observed phone use at intersections
Ortiz and colleagues’ 2017 study, as reported by NHTSA, observed 4,871 people at four intersections in Washington, DC. Twenty-seven percent of those observed were distracted by cell phone use, and pedestrians had 1.5 times the odds of being distracted compared with drivers in that study. These are findings from those specific locations and observations—not national rates or counts of injuries caused by distracted walking. NHTSA says nationally representative estimates of pedestrian portable-device use are unavailable and notes that data on pedestrian device use or involvement in crashes are incomplete. Read NHTSA’s pedestrian-safety review.
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Crossing in a virtual environment
A 2011 study by Schwebel and colleagues involved 138 college students crossing an interactive, semi-immersive virtual street. Participants assigned to text or listen to music were more likely to be hit in the virtual environment than participants who were undistracted. This experiment provides evidence about behavior in a simulation; it is not an estimate of real-world injury incidence. Read the study abstract hosted by the CDC.
How to reduce risk while walking
NHTSA advises pedestrians to stay alert, use their eyes and ears, obey signs and signals, and wait until a driver has stopped before entering the roadway. In practical terms, give the crossing and surrounding traffic your attention, and avoid letting a device or activity interfere with noticing signals, vehicles, and other hazards. See NHTSA’s pedestrian-safety guidance.
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