The nation's hospital emergency rooms report cases of patients being injured due to distraction while walking have quadrupled in the past seven years.
That timeframe roughly matches the proliferation of hand-held electronic devices people use to text, e-mail, or play video games, sometimes while walking along crowded sidewalks or even crossing streets or parking lots.
Government officials say it adds up to a real public health hazard and urge people walk without electronic distraction.
