We’ve all been warned about the dangers of distracted driving. But what about distracted walking? A government report released Monday highlights an unsettling trend: After decades of decline, pedestrian fatalities are once again on the rise. “Petextrians” — people who text while walking — may be partly to blame.
According to a Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) report, since 2009, pedestrian fatalities have actually increased by 15 percent — climbing to 4,735 in 2013. That’s one pedestrian death every two hours.
