In the world of personal injury and auto accident litigation, the question of whether texting while walking is dangerous is a hot topic. While many will claim that texting while walking is extremely dangerous and should be outlawed, others will say that it posts no danger at all.
The New York Times seems to be in the camp claiming that texting and walking poses no significant danger. The Times article on the dangers of pedestrian texting looked at a study ordered by the New York legislature in 2017 that studied the dangers of texting while walking.
If the author’s conclusion wasn’t clear from the title – “Yes, Texting While Walking Is Relatively Safe. (But Still Annoying.)” – the article itself is quite clear: “Now the results are in: Texting while walking in the five boroughs will most likely not get you killed, according to a report released by the city’s Transportation Department last week.”
Is the article correct in its conclusion?
Yes, as far as it goes. But there are a few things to keep in perspective when reading the Times article:
- The Times article focuses more on deaths than on accidents: While the article is clear that there are very few more deaths resulting from walking and texting, death toll is not the only indicator of whether an activity is dangerous.
- It only takes one: Statistics don’t matter once an accident happens. If you’ve been in an accident caused by someone texting and walking, that person could be held liable for the damages that result.
- Texting and driving is still extremely dangerous: While texting and walking might not be quite as dangerous as some thought, texting and driving certainly is. The fact is, not paying attention to your surroundings when crossing a busy intersection is always dangerous and it always increases the likelihood of an accident.
Although texting and walking may not have made the death toll skyrocket, there are still accidents caused by negligence on the streets. Be careful out .
