There is already a law in place saying that texting or talking on the cell phone while driving is illegal. There are numerous campaigns advocating for teens to stop using their phones while driving because of the dangers that it poses. In fact, by now, most teens have probably heard the words “Don’t text and drive.”

If so many people recognize the dangers of using a phone and driving, how come few know of the dangers of using a phone and walking?

In a study conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide, 85% of teens that have been hit or nearly hit by a car were either listening to music, texting, or talking on the phone. It is understandable that teens use electronics a lot more now than they did 5 years ago. We live in a digital age and, as humans, we must adapt to the circumstances. These days, it is very difficult to not be in front of a screen every hour.

However, have phones taken teens’ eyes away from what is in front of them? Though it may not seem like a problem, crossing the street while distracted can prove fatal. In 2012, 284 distracted teen pedestrians were killed and 10,000 injured.

People may think that such an accident could never happen to them, but it is important to remember that every hour, a teen pedestrian is killed or injured after being hit by a car.

To prevent terrible accidents from happening, teens need to stay off their electronics when crossing roads. They need to make sure that the road is clear, or that any vehicles on the road have stopped to let the teen cross. These are simple rules, but sometimes simple can go a very long way.

Teens need to know the dangers of both using a phone while driving AND using a phone while walking. No matter how expensive an electronic device is, it will never cost as much as a life.

(Statistics courtesy of: http://www.safekids.org/sites/default/files/documents/ResearchReports/skw_pedestrian_study_2014_final.pdf)