Report: Dangers of Pedestrian Texting Overblown

According to a report from the New York City Department of Transportation, pedestrians have better things to worry about than occasionally glancing at their phones. Titled "Distraction Shouldn't Be Deadly," the study found that only two fatalities occurred among distracted texters from 2014 through 2017. The total number of pedestrians killed on NYC streets during that time: 534. 

"As smartphones rapidly grew in popularity, state lawmakers in 2017 passed a law requiring the DOT to look into 'distracted walking,' Clayton Guse writes. "Though the DOT found the legislature's concern was a non-issue, its report noted that the city is campaigning to encourage young people to be alert as they cross the street."

The biggest traffic threat to pedestrians in NYC is speeding automobiles. From the report: "the best way to address distracted walking, and all forms of distraction, is by creating a road environment focused on speed management — where vehicles are traveling at a safe speed so that crashes can be avoided, and when crashes do occur they are not fatal or severe."