Journal article
Distraction and pedestrian safety: How talking on the phone, texting, and listening to music impact crossing the street
Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.45(2), pp.266-271
03/01/2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2011.07.011
PMCID: PMC3266515
PMID: 22269509
Abstract
As use of handheld multimedia devices has exploded globally, safety experts have begun to consider the impact of distraction while talking, text-messaging, or listening to music on traffic safety. This study was designed to test how talking on the phone, texting, and listening to music may influence pedestrian safety. 138 college students crossed an interactive, semi-immersive virtual pedestrian street. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: crossing while talking on the phone, crossing while texting, crossing while listening to a personal music device, or crossing while undistracted. Participants distracted by music or texting were more likely to be hit by a vehicle in the virtual pedestrian environment than were undistracted participants. Participants in all three distracted groups were more likely to look away from the street environment (and look toward other places, such as their telephone or music device) than were undistracted participants. Findings were maintained after controlling for demographics, walking frequency, and media use frequency. Distraction from multimedia devices has a small but meaningful impact on college students' pedestrian safety. Future research should consider the cognitive demands of pedestrian safety, and how those processes may be impacted by distraction. Policymakers might consider ways to protect distracted pedestrians from harm and to reduce the number of individuals crossing streets while distracted. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Distraction and pedestrian safety: How talking on the phone, texting, and listening to music impact crossing the street
- Creators
- David C. Schwebel - University of Alabama at BirminghamDespina Stavrinos - University of Alabama at BirminghamKatherine W. Byington - University of Alabama at BirminghamTiffany Davis - University of Alabama at BirminghamElizabeth E. O'Neal - University of AlabamaDesiree de Jong - University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.45(2), pp.266-271
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.aap.2011.07.011
- PMID
- 22269509
- PMCID
- PMC3266515
- NLM abbreviation
- Accid Anal Prev
- ISSN
- 0001-4575
- eISSN
- 1879-2057
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 6
- Grant note
- R49CE000191 / NATIONAL CENTER FOR INJURY PREVENTION AND CONTROL; United States Department of Health & Human Services; Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - USA R49/CE000191; R49 CE000191 / NCIPC CDC HHS R01HD058573; R01 HD058573; R01 HD058573-03 / NICHD NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) R01HD058573 / EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/01/2012
- Academic Unit
- Research Administration; Driving Safety Research Institute; Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984446530602771
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