Several officials have been showing interest in the growing number of incidents caused not by distracted drivers but by distracted pedestrians who prefer to focus on their cell phones while walking.

It’s been reported in recent articles that residents in several states have been simply walking into different types of hurdles because they keep their heads down while attempting to send or read a text message. According to the news, pedestrians are walking into poles, on-coming vehicles and even falling into ditches instead of looking up and paying attention to what happens around them.

Over 1,100 people ended up at emergency rooms as a result of incidents caused because they were too distracted. Data was gathered in the year of 2011 and according to officials, one of the accidents took place when a woman who was too busy texting, fell off the curb and lacerated her face as a result of the fall.

In another occurrence, a boy was injured after a truck clipped him while he played with his video game while crossing the street.

Following the discovery of this high number of incidents caused by distracted pedestrians, city officials in Philadelphia decided to add an “e-lane” during last April Fool’s in hopes to make people aware of the absurdity of the accidents happening due to the use of cell phones. According to the news, the joke backfired and pedestrians complained when officials decided to get rid of the “lane”.

Reports show that pedestrians were upset because they believed the lane made them safer while they tried to text and walk.

Hopefully, this trend won’t continue and pedestrians will focus on walking and not on responding that text message.

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