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With this being "in season" here in Southwest Florida, traffic has increased with additional cars, trucks and motorcycles. Many seasonal residents visit shopping malls, particularly on non-beach days.  Finding available parking is a challenge, and parking lots are dangerous, particularly when pedestrians may be "walking and talking" on their cell phones. 

Recently, in a south Fort Myers Publix shopping center, a "distracted walker" was spotted walking down the center of a parking lot while carrying on what turned out to be about a 10 minute cell phone call.  While the pedestrian was carrying on the conversation, he was looking down, walking irradically and stopping in the middle of the driving lane, oblivious to the movement of others and vehicles.

"This behavior could become more than a distraction.  It could become an accident.  Distracted walking is dangerous, and drivers should watch out for distracted walkers," says Fort Myers Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

After observing over 1,000 pedestrians at 20 different intersections, the researchers at the University of Washington found that one of every three pedestrians was distracted by mobile devices.  Further, texters were less likely to look both ways or obey lights. 

Pedestrian fatalities are on the rise in the U.S. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) reports that "A pedestrian now dies roughly once every two hours in a traffic collision."

The Governors Highway Safety Association's deputy executive director, Jonathan Akins said, "We are where we were with cell phone use in cars 10 years or so ago.  We knew it was a problem, but we didn't have the data."

Fort Myers Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.