Distracted walking injuries on the rise
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Distracted walking is becoming more and more of an issue. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- Distracted walking is sending more and more people to the emergency room each year.
"Caught on tape" moments show just how bad it is actually getting. One man was recently so consumed by his cell phone that he walked off right off of a subway platform and fell on the tracks below.
Another woman plunged 20 feet into a sinkhole.
And then there is the guy that was so busy texting that he almost walked right into a bear that was on the loose.
In the past seven years, the number of injured distracted walkers has more than quadrupled.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 1,150 people were treated last year for injuries suffered by distracted walking.
Typical injuries include facial fractures, eye injuries, blunt head trauma, nasal fractures, sprained ankles and foot injuries.
The problem has gotten so bad that some states, including Delaware, Arkansas, Illinois and Utah, have passed distracted walking bills.
Unfortunately, these bills have not yet decreased the number of injuries.
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