Risks of Accidents Caused by the Use of Smartphone by Pedestrians Are Task- and Environment-Dependent

Abstract

Using smartphones during a task that requires an upright posture can be detrimental for the overall motor performance. The aim of this study was to determine the risks of accidents caused by the use of smartphones by pedestrians while walking in a controlled (laboratory) and a non-controlled (public street) environment. Two hundred and one participants, 100 men and 101 women, all young adults, were submitted to walking activities while texting messages and talking on the phone. The risk of accident was measured by the time and the number of steps necessary to walk a 20 ft distance. Assessments were performed with no external distractors (laboratory) and on a public street with vehicles, pedestrians, lights, and noises. Multivariate analysis of variance tests provided the main effect of task (using × not using smartphone), environment (laboratory × street), sex (men × women), and interactions. Significance was set at 5%. The results showed that using a smartphone while walking demanded a greater number of steps and time to perform the task (main effect of task: 0.84; p = 0.001). The risk of accident was higher on the streets where, due to traffic hazards, pedestrians performed the task faster and with a lower number of steps (the main effect of environment: 0.82; p = 0.001). There was no difference of risks between men and women (main effect of sex: 0.01; p = 0.225), whether in the laboratory or on the street (main effect of sex × environment: 0.01; p = 0.905). The task × environment interaction showed that using a smartphone on the street potentiates risks of accidents of pedestrians (main effect of task × environment: 0.41; p = 0.001). In conclusion, using a smartphone while walking can be risky for pedestrians, especially in a traffic environment. People should avoid using their smartphone while crossing streets.

Correlations between Problematic Mobile Phone Use and Depressiveness and Daytime Sleepiness, as Well as Perceived Social Support in Adolescents

“…The problematic use of the above-mentioned technologies may also contribute to the legal consequences related to improper compliance with the law in the internet sphere. The research results also emphasize the correlation between the risky use of smartphones and the creation of dangers in the public environment, especially among pedestrians staring at the smartphone screen [ 36 , 37 ].…”

Postural Control and Muscle Activity during Dual-Task in Young Adults

“…The studies that have assessed postural control in a quiet standing position while simultaneously performing tasks with a smartphone have shown decreased motor performance; consequently, postural stability deteriorated [9][10][11], which can contribute to the risk of injuries or falls. Moreover, previous studies have reported physical and psychological problems due to smartphone use [12,13] and increased pedestrian injury risk [14,15].…”

Risk of using smartphones while walking for digital natives in realistic environments: Effects of cognitive–motor interference

“…Compared with other age cohorts, individuals under the age of 35 years make more emergency calls owing to mishaps resulting from smartphone use while walking. The annual incidence of hospital admissions for young individuals has shown a consistent upward trend [ 7 , 8 ]. Furthermore, statistical data revealed that a significant proportion (80%) of accidents occurred within traffic facilities [ 8 ].…”