Most of us are familiar with the problem of distracted driving. However, there is a new growing concern for distracted walking, which is similar to distracted driving and may involve similar distractions.
According to Safe Kids, child pedestrians who are at the greatest risk of being hit by a car are teens. While a couple of decades ago it was younger children who were more likely to be struck by a vehicle, today it is teenagers.
The newest study released by Safe Kids reports that every single day, more than 61 children suffer severe injuries that require medical attention. And every year more than 500 children lose their lives in pedestrian accidents.
In the past five years, there has been a 25 percent increase in pedestrian injuries for teens between the ages of 16 and 19. Of all child pedestrian injuries, today half of them involve teens who are between 14 and 19 years old.
Although the study hasn’t determined a specific cause for the rising number of teens suffering pedestrian injuries, it hypothesized that it is likely a result of distracted walking. Teens are glued to their phones, iPods and other devices, oftentimes with earbuds blocking out noise. With school now back in action, this is a good time for parents to talk with their children and teens about the dangers of walking while distracted.
Contacting a New York Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Contact a New York pedestrian accident attorney at Gacovino, Lake & Associates at 1-800-246-4878 if you or a loved were seriously injured. You could be entitled to seek compensation through a claim.
