Personal Injury Experts Worry about Dangers of Texting While Walking

August 3, 2009

A 15-year-old girl in New York City recently suffered minor injuries after she fell into an open and unattended sidewalk manhole. She fell six feet from the surface of the road into raw sewage because she was texting while she walked down the street.

In recent months, the phenomenon of texting has caused many injuries and deaths- most are because drivers text while they are behind the wheel and are prone to causing accidents or driving off the road. This has caused many cities and states to create ordinances that make texting while driving illegal and punishable by a fine.

However, many cities and states are struggling to create legislation that outlaws walking and texting. The family of the injured girl is suing the city and filing a personal injury claim, though she only suffered some scratches and bruises. They feel that the manhole should have never been left open and unattended on the sidewalk- where the average person can feel a degree of safety.