The study, produced in Seattle by Leah Thompson, Frederick Rivara, Rajiv Ayyagari, and Beth Ebel of the University of Washington, studied 20 “high-risk” intersections in the city. They watched as people moseyed, meandered, and lolly-gagged, noting whether they were using digital devices. Of the 1,102 pedestrians studied, the team noted that:
Nearly
one-third (29.8%) of all pedestrians performed a distracting activity
while crossing. Distractions included listening to music (11.2%), text
messaging (7.3%) and using a handheld phone (6.2%). Text messaging,
mobile phone use and talking with a companion increased crossing time.
Texting pedestrians took 1.87 additional seconds (18.0%) to cross the
average intersection (3.4 lanes), compared to undistracted pedestrians.
Texting pedestrians were 3.9 times more likely than undistracted
pedestrians to display at least 1 unsafe crossing behaviour (disobeying
the lights, crossing mid-intersection, or failing to look both ways).
Pedestrians listening to music walked more than half a second (0.54)
faster across the average intersection than undistracted pedestrians.
While I would argue that listening to music while walking is hardly a
distraction (unless it’s music by the dreamy Michael Buble), the fact
that many of the slowest saunterers were text-walkers is infuriating but
the fact that they ignore nights or fail to look both ways suggests a
certain level of potential natural selection that gives me hope.As a person who pulls over – both while driving or walking – when taking calls and texting on the road/sidewalk, I feel we should all pay a bit more attention when we cross the street. Or don’t and be a TRFIC F8aliti LOL!;).
Credit : Tech Crunch
