Distracted Walking
Did you know that pedestrian distraction is a significant cause of pedestrian fatalities worldwide? Many studies have examined the influence of pedestrian distraction on road safety. These studies indicate that distracted walking is as critical as distracted driving. In a study by Western Washington University, 75% of phone users showed inattentional blindness to unusual activity. In a study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers found pedestrians to show risk-taking behavior when involved with internet usage on their mobile phones. Another study investigating the crash data statistics in the USA reported that 74% of pedestrian victims were listening to music at the time of crashes. Despite all of this supporting data, there are hardly any effective legislations and interventions (policy-based, technological visual/auditory warnings, psychological, and infrastructure-based interventions) related to distracted walking in the U.S.
The Distracted Brain
Everywhere you look, you see people using their phones. Performing daily tasks using a smartphone relies on the functional connectivity between motor and cognitive neural networks. When multiple tasks are performed simultaneously, the neural networks experience increased demand, which can lead to conflicts in task prioritization. Engaging in the simultaneous performance of various tasks, such as walking and texting or talking on the phone, can place additional demands on brain regions associated with attention, executive function, and planning, all with potentially negative impacts on motor performance.
The increased cognitive demand of using a smartphone while performing a motor task can be particularly challenging for older individuals compared to their younger counterparts, due to age-related changes in both motor and cognitive function. In the presence of a mental task, motor performance tends to exhibit a more significant negative impact on performance than cognitive performance during a cognitive-motor dual-task.
Boredom Proneness
Boredom proneness is the tendency to get bored in different scenarios. People often tend to use their mobile phones when they get bored, and this tendency may lead to critical situations if it continues while walking on the street. This may be because bored people look for alternatives that minimize their boredom, and mobile phones serve as a viable alternative that is easily accessible to them. Recent studies have shown significant evidence of the positive relationship between boredom proneness and mobile phone addiction. Even though boredom proneness has been identified as a psychosocial factor in driver behavior studies, more research is needed to understand how this influences pedestrian beliefs associated with distracted walking.
Mindfulness Might Help
Research has shown the power of mindfulness-based interventions in enhancing attentional self-regulation. For instance, drivers with lower mindfulness are more prone to distracted driving. A recent systematic review even suggested that mindfulness interventions could be a game-changer in reducing distracted driving incidents. A recent study also indicated that mindfulness significantly predicted behavioral and control beliefs of engagement in mobile phone distraction. However, more research is needed to understand how mindfulness-based interventions can minimize pedestrians’ positive attitudes towards distracted walking and increase awareness of the risks of this behavior.
Potential Actions
Most people are aware of the risks of using mobile phones while driving. Based on a data review, similar public awareness campaigns are needed to increase awareness of the dangers of distracted walking. This could be done by giving real-life examples of crash occurrences in the neighborhood and their subsequent impacts on families and society. Moreover, during the pedestrian safety awareness programs, video-based illustrations demonstrating crash likelihood and hazardous road situations involving pedestrians, will further intensify the extent of the impact. Even without these programs, we can each consider how to eliminate or reduce our distracted walking situations.
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