DALLAS: People walk slower while texting on their mobile phones to try to avoid accidents, according to new British research. And they often make large, exaggerated movements to negotiate crowds and compensate for their diminished vision.
One of the researchers had the idea for the study after becoming irritated at the “drunken weaving” of pedestrians on their mobile phones.
With the help of two undergraduates, he took 30 people and made them complete three different walking tasks around an obstacle course.
The participants – aged between 18 and 50 – did the course while walking normally, texting and walking, and texting and walking while being cognitively distracted with a simple maths test.
The researchers examined the walkers’ gait using a 3D motion analysis system and modelled each task to assess the differences between trails.
The authors found that participants took significantly longer to complete the course while texting and being cognitively distracted compared with just walking.
Texting while being cognitively distracted also increased obstacle clearance, step frequency and decreased someone’s ability to walk in a straight line.
The authors of the study suggest participants – when faced with cognitive challenges – decrease their walking speed to avoid accidents.