News

Digital distractions are killing us, literally

Posted on Feb 25, 2009

A couple of pedestrian accidents caught my eye because they were killed due to being distracted by cell phones, mp3 players or iPods. A search in the Internet turned up a lot more than I expected. Here is a sampling of what is out there in cyberspace.

NPR recently aired a very good story about digital distractions while driving.

NPR Story, Caution: Walking And Cell Phones Don't Mix, Carol Guensburg.

Megan Roth and I have written before about distractions caused by cell phone use along with iPods. Some other articles of interest are listed.

Driver Safety: Starts before you turn the ignition key

Driving Safety: No Text Messaging While Driving | InjuryBoard Austin

Cell Phone Use While Driving Increases Risk of Collision ...

Cell Phones: INTOXICATION V. IN-TEXT-ICATION - Which is worse ...

Driving Safety: No Text Messaging While Driving | InjuryBoard Austin

Cell phone use causes car accident, case settles for $5.2 million ...

Cell Phones, Like Alcohol, Cause Wrongful Death | InjuryBoard Salt ...

So what is going on with pedestrians? Like car and truck drivers pedestrians are allowing their cell phones to distract them to the point of getting killed. Here are a few examples.

Joshua Phillips White, 16, was killed while wearing MP3 player earphones and walking on a train track. February 22, 2009.

Lisa Carolyn Moran, 20, a University of North Carolina exchange student from Scotland, was listening to an iPod while jogging when she stepped into the path of a bus in Chapel Hill last May. Lisa Moran’s personal website.

Alan Eaton-Chandler, 17, was killed under the same circumstances just last Tuesday when he was hit by an Amtrak train in Comstock Township, Mich. February 2009.

Vicky Baker, 39, was talking on her cell phone when she was struck and killed by a train in Albertville, Ala., in December 2008.

Apple, the most prominent manufacturer, declined to comment for this story. Christine Monaghan, spokeswoman for its iPod line, said Apple's Web site offers guidance for safe use.

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP -- A funeral will be held Saturday for a Galesburg-Augusta High School junior who was hit by an Amtrak train Tuesday afternoon.

Alan Michael Eaton Chandler, 17, was hit as he crossed the tracks near his house in the 8800 block of East Michigan Avenue.

Feb. 2009

According to preliminary reports, Baker was using a cell phone while walking and apparently did not hear the train’s warning and walked into the path of the train, Smith said. The train struck Baker as she was attempting to move from the tracks, he said. December 2008

Tara McAvoy, 18, was killed while she was text-messaging her family. Tara, who was named Miss Deaf Texas in June, 2005, was struck by a train as she walked along the railroad ties.

Zachariah Smith, 18, of Ohio, was texting on his phone while walking across railroad tracks. Witnesses report that Smith let one train pass, walked around a gate and was struck by a second train. Although he was thrown 50 feet, Smith survived. August 21, 2007.

Scott Slaughter, 31, of Berkeley, California was talking on his cell phone when he was struck and killed by an Amtrack train. Similar to the Ohio case listed above, witnesses said that Slaughter let one train pass and walked into the path of a second train. November 19, 2007.

Florida Woman Struck and Killed While Using Her Phone

Dawn Ann Thoma, 32, of Florida was killed when she drove into the path of a freight train. Dawn was talking to her brother on the phone at the time of the crash.

There is a website mycellphoneiskillingme.com that lists many of these accidents caused by electronic distractions. As they point out many of these accidents are underreported because people don’t want to admit to having used their cell phones. Here is the list they compiled.

Check out our blog today for more details.

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