Don’t text and drive– it’s a common reminder these days. Using a cell phone while driving not only endangers you, but everyone else on the road. In 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers, according to womenshealth.gov. Putting down your phone when you’re behind the wheel could save lives, including your own.

So if we agree that we shouldn’t text and drive, then texting while walking should be OK, right?

Wrong. The dangers of texting and walking were featured in a Walk Kansas newsletter this spring. Surprisingly, physical injuries from cell phone use while walking occur more frequently than from texting and driving, although vehicle accidents from texting usually result in injuries that are far more severe. And with the rise of social media, texting isn’t the only concern. Think about how often you see someone walking– head down, cell phone in hand, and completely unaware of what is going on around them.

A study conducted at Ohio State University focused on pedestrian injuries between 2004 and 2010. The study discovered that while the total number of pedestrian injuries decreased, emergency room visits for injuries related to cell phones tripled during that time.

A separate study from Stony Brook University showed that when people used their cell phones while walking, they were 61 percent more likely to veer off course, and 13 percent more likely to overshoot their target than when they were not distracted.

The researchers said millennials aged 18 to 34 were most likely to be injured in distracted walking incidents, and women over the age of 55 were most likely to suffer serious injuries.

This trend has prompted the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) to launch a campaign against distracted walking. The organization has devoted a page on its website to the topic.

“Today, more and more people are falling down stairs, tripping over curbs and, in many instances, stepping into traffic, causing cuts, bruises, sprains, and fractures,” said Alan Hilibrand, MD, chair of the AAOS Communications Cabinet.
The AAOS website offers these and other tips to avoid distracted walking:
•While you walk, focus on the people, objects, and obstacles around you.
•If you must use headphones or other electronic devices, maintain a volume where you can still hear the sounds of traffic and your surroundings.
•Look up, not down, especially when stepping off or onto curbs or in the middle of major intersections; and/or when walking on or approaching 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.

There are very few laws in place that restrict texting while walking, but common sense should tell you it is not a very good idea. Using voice commands on your phone can help, but the best advice is to wait until you finish your walk before pulling out your cell phone.