Mobile Phone Use-Related Injuries Up for Pedestrians

TUESDAY, June 25 (HealthDay News) -- The number of injuries related to mobile phone use among pedestrians increased from 2004 to 2010, with the number of injuries exceeding those of drivers in 2010, according to a study published in the August issue of Accident Analysis & Prevention.

Jack L. Nasar, Ph.D., from The Ohio State University, and Derek Troyer, from the Ohio Department of Transportation -- both in Columbus, examined mobile phone use-related injuries among pedestrians. Data were collected from 2004 through 2010 from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for injuries in hospital emergency rooms.

The researchers found that, relative to total pedestrian injuries, there was an increase in mobile phone use-related injuries among pedestrians. This matched the increase in injuries among drivers and exceeded those for drivers in 2010. Pedestrian injuries related to mobile phone use most commonly occurred among men (52.9 percent) and among those younger than 31 (54.7 percent).

"The results confirm risk of injury to pedestrians using mobile phones," the authors write. "As the number of cellphones in use increases as well as the time spent using them, the number of injuries is likely to increase as well."

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