SINGAPORE: Much has been said about the dangers of distracted driving but pedestrians distracted by smartphones are as much responsible for accidents on the road, reported a survey by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students.
A study of 419 youth aged 17 to 25, showed that 598 accidents in the past year were caused by distracted walking, according to a media release on Tuesday (Feb 10). The accidents ranged from minor incidences like falling and colliding with other pedestrians to more serious road traffic accidents.
The survey also found that while 84 per cent of respondents acknowledge the dangers of distracted walking, 93 per cent continue to do so. A total of 55 per cent of respondents said they were confident of their ability to multi-task with their mobile phones without getting into an accident. However, a further 43 per cent admitted that they had been involved in at least one accident due to distracted walking in the past year.
Zahrah, 20, learnt the lesson the hard way. The undergraduate was hospitalised for five days following a hard fall while walking down the stairs and playing the game Delicious Emily on her smartphone. Her injuries included a fractured ankle, dislocated shoulder and concussion.
“The worst part was explaining to all the doctors that this had all been a result of playing Delicious Emily while going downstairs,” said the undergraduate, who took four months to recover completely. “While I was recovering, I had to take the taxi everywhere and missed out on a lot of outings with my friends.”
The survey is part of a campaign called “Look Up, Look Out” by a group of final-year students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at NTU, in conjunction with NTUC Income. The campaign seeks to advocate pedestrian safety by alerting pedestrians to the safety hazards of using mobile communication devices on the road.
“We always hear our friends’ accounts of bumping into other people or having close calls with cars, but these are never recorded. In Singapore, it seems to be a rising trend with everyone burying their heads in their smartphones while walking,” said Sydney Alexandria Teng, one of the students involved in the campaign.
According to the advocacy group, text messaging is the biggest culprit, accounting for 39 per cent of accidents caused by distracted walking.
Aimed at youths, the campaign has utilised social media and guerilla marketing to spread its cause for safety and connect with their target audience. Ground-level initiatives, like roadshows, are also being planned for tertiary institutions and junior colleges this month.
A study of 419 youth aged 17 to 25, showed that 598 accidents in the past year were caused by distracted walking, according to a media release on Tuesday (Feb 10). The accidents ranged from minor incidences like falling and colliding with other pedestrians to more serious road traffic accidents.
The survey also found that while 84 per cent of respondents acknowledge the dangers of distracted walking, 93 per cent continue to do so. A total of 55 per cent of respondents said they were confident of their ability to multi-task with their mobile phones without getting into an accident. However, a further 43 per cent admitted that they had been involved in at least one accident due to distracted walking in the past year.
Zahrah, 20, learnt the lesson the hard way. The undergraduate was hospitalised for five days following a hard fall while walking down the stairs and playing the game Delicious Emily on her smartphone. Her injuries included a fractured ankle, dislocated shoulder and concussion.
“The worst part was explaining to all the doctors that this had all been a result of playing Delicious Emily while going downstairs,” said the undergraduate, who took four months to recover completely. “While I was recovering, I had to take the taxi everywhere and missed out on a lot of outings with my friends.”
The survey is part of a campaign called “Look Up, Look Out” by a group of final-year students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at NTU, in conjunction with NTUC Income. The campaign seeks to advocate pedestrian safety by alerting pedestrians to the safety hazards of using mobile communication devices on the road.
“We always hear our friends’ accounts of bumping into other people or having close calls with cars, but these are never recorded. In Singapore, it seems to be a rising trend with everyone burying their heads in their smartphones while walking,” said Sydney Alexandria Teng, one of the students involved in the campaign.
According to the advocacy group, text messaging is the biggest culprit, accounting for 39 per cent of accidents caused by distracted walking.
Aimed at youths, the campaign has utilised social media and guerilla marketing to spread its cause for safety and connect with their target audience. Ground-level initiatives, like roadshows, are also being planned for tertiary institutions and junior colleges this month.
