- A new study analyzing nearly 1.8 million federal hospital records reveals the everyday phone habits linked to thousands of ER visits in the US.
- Losing balance while walking and using a phone topped the list, accounting for an estimated 7,760 ER visits between 2021 and 2025, with seniors most affected.
- Distracted driving, falling down stairs, and walking into obstacles were also among the leading causes of phone-related injuries.
Smartphones have become such an integral part of our lives that many of us hardly ever think twice before pulling one out of our pockets. I know I’m guilty of pulling mine out even when I’m in the middle of real-world conversations, and as it turns out, people are doing the same, albeit in far more serious situations.
Phones are convenient, though they aren’t necessarily harmless, and a new study is reiterating how glancing at your phone at the wrong moment could land you in the emergency room (ER).