For all our knowledge and good intentions, we humans tend to be a stupid bunch. We do lots of dumb things we know perfectly well are not good for us; eat the wrong foods, smoke, stay up too late, drive too fast, etc. A recent study demonstrates the latest idiotic thing many of us do: completely disregard our surroundings as we walk and talk or text on our cell phones.

While driverless cars may be a solution to distracted drivers, there is no such "easy" solution on the horizon for so-called "distracted pedestrians." However, employers and payers might be wise to at least be aware of this latest risk to workers and, perhaps, drum up a policy that speaks to the problem.

You may remember a YouTube video of a woman in a mall several years ago. She was so entrenched with texting a church friend that she was completely oblivious to her surroundings – including the fountain right in front of her, into which she plunged. The fact that someone "leaked" the security footage to YouTube – along with her humiliation and embarrassment – got her teed off enough to hire a lawyer to investigate; but in the end she apparently wound up taking no legal action. Other than her pride, she was not injured by the incident. Had she been, it likely would have been a workers' comp case, as she was a mall employee at the time.

Seems she was one of many texters 'n' walkers with stories to tell. Anecdotally, I have heard of a situation at a workers' comp conference some years back in which a texter/walker plowed into a plate glass window, shattering it and scaring the bejesus out of everyone around him – not to mention himself.

This whole category of "distracted walking" is now considered a "significant safety threat" by the National Safety Council. The nonprofit group is focusing on problems of "smart" phones and their not-so-smart users during this National Safety Month.

In fact, the organization just released a study showing the extent of the problem. Seems the eight-fold increase in cell phone use over the past 15 years coincides with a dramatic increase in distracted walking injuries, causing people "to trip, cross roads unsafely, or walk into motionless objects such as street signs, doors or walls."

The study cited a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project that said 14% of adult cell phone users "admitted to bumping into a person or an object while using the device." And, "this group tended to be college educated and to live in urban settings." Perhaps a college course in safe walking practices is needed in our institutions of higher ed.

The NSC noted one study that said between 2000 and 2011, there were more than 11,000 distracted walking injuries involving cell phones. The organization even included distracted walking in its annual statistical report for the first time this year, because "the trend is so alarming."

For the NSC study, the authors searched the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for emergency department reports of injuries related to phone use. They determined which were related to cell phone use and walking. Of more than 5,000 potential incidents during the time period for their particular study, the authors whittled it down to around 350. However, they noted "there may be underreporting of cases because victims might be reluctant to admit they were using their cell phones at the time of an incident for fear of embarrassment and/or legal repercussions." Ya' think?!

Most of the incidents in the NSC study involved women – 68%; the majority were under age 40, although 21% were over 71. Talking on the phone accounted for just over 60% of the injuries, while 12% were due to texting. The most common ailments were dislocations or fractures, sprains or strains and concussions. Most were due to falls. 

The authors called for more research "to determine the risks associated with walking and talking on a cell phone and to develop strategies for intervention." They think manufacturers should "consider the addition of tools or applications on smart phones to remind users to remain alert to outside auditory stimuli that herald external hazards and to encourage them to not use these devices while engaged in other activities." 

Instead of going through all sorts of hoopla to do that, why not just put a warning label on cell phones: "may be harmful if used while walking."

This situation not only speaks to the stupidity of the human race, it also points to the fact that cell phone use has pushed multitasking to a whole new level that includes risks.

So what can employers do to mitigate this risk? Perhaps they can expand their distracted driving policies to include walking. Or, prohibit people from using cell phones while walking around the worksite; at least that way they won't bump into and potentially injure their coworkers. A ban on cell phones is probably unreasonable, since many employers now welcome or even require employees to use their cell phones as part of the business. Maybe it's a matter of training, including videos of people walking and/or texting and meeting with unfortunate consequences – like the mall worker. As she was later quoted as saying, "texting and walking, take it from me, is dangerous. It really is."