Prevalence of distracted walking with mobile technology: an observational study of Calgary and Edmonton high school students

Objectives Distracted walking poses a safety concern while crossing roads. A 2014 Canadian survey showed that 51% of teenagers were hit or almost hit while crossing the street, many of whom were distracted by mobile technology. An American study demonstrated that 1 in 5 high school students engaged in distracted walking; however, prevalence estimates in Canada have not been described. This study aimed to obtain a prevalence estimate of distracted walking in high school students in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.