Phones Distract Walkers, Too, Study Says

Children are more likely to get hit crossing a street if they’re also talking on a cell phone, a study suggests. The study included 77 kids, ages 10 and 11. They were asked to “cross the street” in a virtual reality environment. Half of the time, they were also talking on a cell phone. While on the phone, the children paid less attention, researchers said. They left less distance between themselves and the virtual cars. And they were more likely to “get hit” or have a near-miss than when they were not talking on the phone. The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics. HealthDay News wrote about it January 26.