Is Your Youth a Pedtextrian? Create Personal Texting Policies to Reduce Risk

By Crispin Ketelhut
Consultant to the VIRTUS® Programs

Are you aware that 92 percent of teens report going online every day of the week-including 24 percent who are online "almost constantly"? Youth are endlessly multitasking and navigating social media while also performing other daily tasks. There's a growing trend of kids and teens who believe it's safe to walk and text (this person is known as a "pedtextrian"), or simply be absorbed in their smart phones or electronic devices while out and about. The Internet is filled with videos of individuals running into lampposts, doors and vehicles because of pedtextrian behavior, leading some communities to put padding around lampposts and create special sidewalk lanes. Other states such as Utah, New Jersey and Nevada have even passed oblivious phone use laws, where texting while walking is punishable by a ticket and fine.
 
Is it possible that a teen or youth in your care is cognitively distracted by the material on their smartphone devices, which could put them in danger despite these protective measures? 

The answer is most likely yes. Pedtextrian behavior can be dangerous regardless of the teen's personal opinion on his or her ability to personally multitask. The real problem is that the human brain can only pay attention to a few things at once, and will only concentrate truly effectively on one item at a time. For example, even if a person ends the activity on the smartphone and begins to shift attention elsewhere, research shows there's cognitive reaction time needed to switch between tasks as different parts of the brain and neural circuitry are required for various activities. This results in delayed reaction time for the brain to end one task and begin another, regardless of the youth's intentions. If a youth is in danger or about to encounter danger while using a smartphone or electronic portable device, the brain may be incapable of reacting quickly enough to adverse stimuli because the smartphone tasks literally "at hand" and fingertips interfere with cognitive functions (and peripheral vision) that are critical to safety.

Despite this research, adults and teens alike regularly attempt to multitask while using smartphones. Unfortunately, we see that when distraction-prone youth use smartphones, catastrophic consequences occur evidenced by the consistent rise of youth accidents.  

While there are numerous benefits of using technology to facilitate communication, there's risk when you are unaware of what's around you. Safety issues include oncoming traffic, tripping hazards of cracks/holes/curbs in the sidewalk and not being aware of potentially unsafe persons who are a threat. This "inattention blindness" due to cognitive distraction per the smartphone could cause youth to become injured, be involved in less frequent (but more alarming) safety concerns such as abduction or sexual abuse or even death-all of which could potentially have been prevented by being more aware.

As it's the caring adult's primary responsibility to protect youth, part of that responsibility is to assist them in learning effective ways to protect themselves-including navigating social media while being out in the world. 

The VIRTUS® Programs often discuss the need to implement safety policies and to communicate frequently about those policies. Here are some tips on keeping youth safer while using smartphone devices, along with conversation starters to communicate more than once: 

• As an icebreaker, ask the youth in your care if the term pedtextrian has ever been heard of or used in conversation. 
• The caring adult could continue the discussion with information about the legislation now being updated to prevent pedtextrian risk, and ask the youth if he or she is aware of the laws in that particular state. 
• Communicate about the reasons to create a personal texting policy within your environment, for reasons such as personal safety, risk studies, laws, etc. 
• Work together to create a personal and disciplined texting policy. For example, instead of using the phone while actively performing another task, perhaps the youth could commit to only use it when not actively moving. As a concrete example, if a youth is going to walk, help them understand the importance of simply walking and keeping BOTH eyes focused on what or whoever else is sharing the pavement. 
• Remind youth that no text, call or smartphone activity is more important than creating a safer environment for themselves and others. Let them know their personal commitment to being more present while actively performing other acts could help prevent harm to another person, as well.
• Schedule a "check in" accountability meeting, where you discuss each other's adherence to the personal texting policy, including struggles and victories.
• For parents, in addition to communicating with your child, as an extra step, consider installing parental control software apps for access control to content, screen time, multitasking concerns, etc. 

As a caring adult, part of helping youth form healthy, personal texting policies means modeling the behavior you expect from others. In other words, don't be a pedtextrian yourself! Your willingness to review changes to your own behavior could make the difference in helping youth behave the same way, ultimately serving to save the life of someone else one day. 

Thank you for all that you do as a protector of youth.

                                 ^{If you would like to provide constructive feedback on this article, please email editor@virtus.org.} 

Resources:

1. Pew Research. (2015). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
2. Henly, Jon. (2013). Smartphones and the rise of child accidents. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/shortcuts/2013/jun/18/smartphones-and-rise-of-child-accidents
3. ABC News. (2012). Texting while walking accidents: video. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl0JojWH1rQ
4. Henly, Jon. (2013). (see footnote 2)
5. De Leo, Gianluca., and Leroy, Gondry. (2008). Smartphones to Facilitate Communication and Improve Social Skills of Children with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder: Special Education Teachers as Proxies, 7th International Conference on Interaction Design & Children - Workshop on Designing for Children with Special Needs, Chicago. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://web.cgu.edu/faculty/leroy/content/Papers/de_leo_idc2008_temp_online.pdf
6. Chen-See, Sherene. (2010). The Internet: Breaking down barriers to communication for deaf teens. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/EN/NEWS/NEWSANDFEATURES/Pages/The-Internet-Breaking-down-barriers-to-communication-for-deaf-teens.aspx
7. Fischer, Pam. (2015). Everyone walks. Understanding and addressing pedestrian safety. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.ghsa.org/html/files/pubs/sfped.pdf
8. BBC News. (2013). Train death Katie Littlewood 'did not look' at crossing. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-22554258
9. Dooley, Erin. (2015). Distracted Walking: How 'Petextrians' Are Endangering Our Streets. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://abcnews.go.com/US/distracted-walking-petextrians-endangering-streets/story?id=32990067
10. Brooks, Sharon. (2015). Word to the Wise: Texting while walking can kill you. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.theexaminer.com/stories/news/word-wise-texting-while-walking-can-kill-you  
11. Stone, Jeff. (2013). Texting While Walking Ban Hopes To Make Oblivious Phone Use A $250 Ticket In Nevada. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.ibtimes.com/texting-while-walking-ban-hopes-make-oblivious-phone-use-250-ticket-nevada-1109668
12. Pew Research. (2014). 'Distracted Walkers' Are Major Concern for Cities and States. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2014/12/11/distracted-walkers-are-major-concern-for-cities-and-states
13. Hamilton, Jon., and Weissman, Daniel. (2008). Interview transcript - Bad at Multitasking? Blame Your Brain. Retrieved from the Internet: February 26, 2016: http://www.wbur.org/npr/95784052
14. Hamilton, Jon. (2008). Think You're Multitasking? Think Again (Weissman interview). Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016 
15. Dzubak, Cora. (2008). Multitasking: The good, the bad, and the unknown. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=90566EBDE134805B416783C48E0B159C?doi=10.1.1.527.6029&rep=rep1&type=pdf  
16. Be Web Smart. (2015). Parental Control options for phones, computers and tablets - a comprehensive list. Retrieved from the Internet February 26, 2016: http://www.bewebsmart.com/parental-controls/comprehensive-list-phones-computers-tablets/

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