surged, the number of injuries to pedestrians wearing headphones
has also spiked, a University of Maryland study published Monday
shows.
The researchers found that the
frequency of such injuries, 70 percent of which were fatal, has
tripled nationwide since 2004 -- a period in which ownership of
devices like iPods and MP3 players has climbed.
"These devices are becoming more
popular and more people are using them, and certainly there are
very solid reasons why they can put you at increased risk of
injury," said Dr.
Richard Lichenstein, the study's author
and a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at the
University of Maryland Medical Center. "Although we think
we're meant to multitask, we're really not."
Lichenstein blames distraction and
sensory deprivation for the accidents, which grew from 16 to 47
annually in the period studied.
"In most cases when you're listening to
the music that you like or listening to a very important or a
good story, that's going to take hold, and everything else will
sort of be on autopilot," Lichenstein said. "Basically, you're
plugging up one of your senses that you would use -- your ears
-- and so you can't really hear all of the noises and sirens and
alarms that could prevent injury from occuring."In nearly
one-third of the accidents Lichenstein studied, the vehicles
involved had sounded their horns.
The study also showed that pedestrians
in densely populated areas were far likelier to be injured while
wearing headphones. Of the cases the researchers reviewed, 89
percent occured in urban counties.
The study could just be scratching the
surface, Lichenstein said.
"It may be more common than we even
think," Lichenstein said. "We also don't know about all of the
near-misses where somebody honked so loud that it actually went
through and they could hear it or somebody pushed them aside
when a car or train was coming."
Lichenstein also acknowledged there may
not be a surefire way to reverse the trend.
"The best we can do is really educate
that if you're using these devices that you love -- these MP3
players and cellphones and iPods -- at least use them
thoughtfully and be aware of the environment that you're using
them in," he said.
