Drivers have been getting the message about cell phone use and distracted driving, but now it's time for pedestrians. In 2009, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that nearly 59,000 pedestrians, including runners and cyclists, were injured and another 4,092 were killed in traffic crashes in the United States. Safety experts and medical professionals confirm that the use of electronic devices contributes to pedestrian injuries and deaths. As a result, some state legislatures, including California's, are considering bans on texting and other electronic device use for pedestrians.
California State Senator Joe Simitian, who was one of the champions behind California's anti-texting laws for drivers, has now reintroduced legislation (Senate Bill 28) that would penalize cyclists from texting, listening to music or using electronic devices while on the state's roadways. In 2010, Simitian attempted to push Senate Bill 1475, which would have increased penalties for drivers who were texting and ultimately added penalties for cyclists. That bill was defeated, but in 2011, Simitian renewed his push for tougher text bans.
Sister states have pressed for their own related distracted walking, running and cycling bans. New York state has a bill pending that bans mobile device use while crossing the street. The Commonwealth of Virginia seeks to amend an existing law to include pedestrians. Oregan's lawmakers want to restrict pedestrians' use of headphones and earbuds. Arkansas legislators, like their counterparts in New York, want to curtail the use of electronic devices on sidewalks and streets by pedestrians, runners and cyclists.
The fundamental issue with distracted walking, running and cycling is that listening affects safety, and distracted listening contributes to public health issues. Preoccupied pedestrians increase their risks for injury and possibly even death. In California, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency established an initiative to educate the public about the dangers of wearing headsets and using hand-held devices while maneuvering through traffic and crossing city streets.
Digital distractions will probably remain a hot political topic as long as media outlets continue to report traffic deaths related to this safety-compromising behavior. Just as drivers have a role to play in highway safety, so do the pedestrians, runners and cyclists, who share the roads. This latest campaign to curtail distracted walking, running and cycling might be the first step in making sure that pedestrians are aware of their role in the public safety game.
