The Texting Danger Teens Should Watch Out For

The newest technology danger for teens doesn't involve nude photos or nasty comments. Rather, it's something as simple as walking with a phone in your hand. A new survey from Safe Kids Worldwide reveals that texting while walking is putting many teens at risk for physical harm. After polling 1,040 teens between 13 and 18 years old, the organization found that 40 percent of teens have been struck, or nearly struck, by a car, bike, or motorcycle while walking and using their phones. Of those teens, 18 percent were texting and 20 percent were talking on the phone at the time. The rest were listening to music, which many forget is a dangerous act.

"You're not hearing those signals from cars or from approaching vehicles you simply may not see," says Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "It's best to take the headphones out and keep your head up when you're crossing the street." Though safety groups' latest focus has been on texting while driving, Carr hopes that these findings encourage them to raise awareness about other technological dangers.

"We worry a lot about teens who are in cars," Carr says. "But we really need to think about teens who are walking."