ER Docs Warn: Don't Text While Rollerblading
As is reported in today's Health section, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has issued a warning about the dangers of text-messaging (communicating by writing and receiving messages composed on cellphone keypads) while engaged in other activities, from driving or crossing the street to Rollerblading or cooking. While nobody's yet gathered stats on the matter, ACEP says there's mounting anecdotal evidence that texting's a big distraction that can lead to injury -- and, yes, even death.
In a statement issued last week, ACEP shared some horror stories -- from people getting scraped-up faces from falling or bumping into things while they texted while walking to folks getting fatally hit by vehicles as they stepped into the street, too absorbed in their texting to watch for traffic.
And while the alert has a back-to-school theme aimed at kids and teens, those stories make clear that adults are as much at risk as younger texters.
The Checkup called Children's National Medical Center in D.C. and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville; both told me they'd seen no evidence of the text-messaging/injury phenomenon. (A third hospital didn't return my call.)
But what about you? Have you seen any scary incidents involving people texting while otherwise occupied? And now's the time to 'fess up: do you find yourself texting while doing something else, too? Have you got into any scrapes that way?
NOTE: Starting at noon today, we'll be turning off comments on this blog for about 24 hours to allow for some sorely needed software upgrades and other maintenance. The Checkup welcomes and values your comments; we look forward to reading them again once the upgrade is complete.
By Jennifer LaRue Huget |
August 5, 2008; 7:00 AM ET |
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Posted by: Janet St. James | August 5, 2008 11:24 AM
I believe some people text while blading. Haven't seen anyone texting while walking, but here's an example of dangerous phoning while walking. I was driving through the Univ. of Md. campus on a RAINY NIGHT when a pedestrian crossed in front of me. Yes, she was in a crosswalk, but she was facing away from me bkz she was cradling a cell phone between her ear and shoulder, and she didn't look before crossing. Perhaps she was banking on the UMD practice (and, yes, state law) that all drivers stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk, and I did stop, but if there's a concept of defensive driving, doesn't it follow that pedestrians should practice defensive WALKING?
Posted by: Lynne | August 5, 2008 11:32 AM
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Is this April 1? Did you write this post with a straight face? "Don't text while rollerblading." That's right up there in the Great Advice Hall of Fame with "don't piss into the wind" and "don't sh-t where you eat."