If a vehicle hits you while you are walking, you are at a distinct disadvantage. A massive motor vehicle can exert a significant amount of force, especially at greater speeds.
While there is not much you can do to even the odds between you and an automobile, there are steps you can take to decrease the likelihood of a vehicle crashing into you. For example, you can refrain from texting while walking.
What does texting while walking do to your brain?
According to TODAY, an electroencephalogram shows completely different patterns of brain waves when people try to text while walking compared to when they just walk. When you are focusing on walking, your brain wave patterns are normal. However, EEG data from people who tried walking while texting showed a complete overload of their brain functions.
Your brain is not very effective at dividing its attention between two different tasks, so when you are concentrating on texting, your brain focuses less on walking.
What behaviors result from the distraction?
Texting while walking may make ambulation more difficult for you. According to one study, two-thirds of pedestrians who tried to walk while texting could not walk in a straight line. This could cause you to go diagonally when inside a crosswalk. If you are not watching where you are going, you could accidentally trip over a curb or fail to look up when crossing the street.
Motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians can be so devastating that it is in your interest to do anything you can to prevent them. This includes avoiding distractions by putting your phone away while walking.
