Are Cell Phones Endangering Kids?

Photo credit: austinANOMIC

Many parents provide their kids with a cell phone as a safety measure. A third of the 20 million eight-to-twelve-year-olds in the United States have a cell phone. But a new study actually says that kids who talk on a cell phone may be more likely to step into traffic. Kids who are just learning to cross the street on their own are too distracted when speaking on a cell phone. It’s imperative to teach them to end phone conversations before they prepare to step into traffic.

In the study, researchers watched pre-teens navigating a virtual reality street crossing. The researchers found that children speaking on a cell were 43 percent more likely to be hit or to have a close call in the simulated street crossings than kids who weren’t on the phone. The kids who were talking on the phone were also less vigilant about looking left and right before crossing the street. There was no difference between girls and boys.

The researchers are not suggesting that kids should not be allowed to use their phones when outside, however. But parents should instruct them to finish their conversations before crossing the street.

It’s also important to point out that there are other distractions that can be a problem for kids in this age group, including conversations with friends, listening to music, and text messaging.

The best way to control use of cell phones in young kids is to purchase a plan that only allows the child to call her parents. This would ensure that the cell phone is used for emergencies - and for emergencies only.

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