Tushar Mehta / Android Authority
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TL;DR
- 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).
The new study, which was published by Calderon Law Firm, examined roughly 1.8 million federal hospital records to find out which “everyday activities” caused the most phone-related injuries, and the results are truly surprising. You’d have presumed that distracted driving would be the biggest culprit, but it turns out doing something as simple as walking with your phone out has the highest chance of landing you in the ER.
According to the study, using your phone while walking around might be the most dangerous phone habit in the US. Losing balance while walking and using a phone accounted for roughly 7,760 ER visits between 2021 and 2025, with those 65 and older being the most affected group, and head fractures being the most frequently injured body part and injury type.
Younger people aren’t exactly safe from the dangers of walking either. Falling down the stairs, walking into poles, walls, and doors, falling on curbs & uneven sidewalks, missing a step on the stairs, and even falling over rugs, cords & pets were all among the leading causes of phone-related ER visits in the US.
| Activity | Setting | Estimated ER visits (US, 2021–2025) | Share of all phone-use injuries (2021–2025) | Most-injured body part | Most common injury | Who gets hurt most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Losing your balance while walking | On foot | 7,760 | 18% | Head | Fracture | Seniors (65+) |
| Answering or picking up the phone while driving | Behind the wheel | 4,850 | 11% | Head | Bruise or scrape | Adults (25–44) |
| Looking at the phone while driving | Behind the wheel | 4,650 | 11% | Head | Bruise or scrape | Adults (25–44) |
| Falling down the stairs | On the stairs | 4,000 | 9% | Ankle | Fracture | Middle-aged (45–64) |
| Walking into poles, walls & doors | On foot | 3,145 | 7% | Head | Head injury (incl. concussion) | Adults (25–44) |
| Falling on curbs & uneven sidewalks | On foot | 3,020 | 7% | Ankle | Fracture | Adults (25–44) |
| Riding a bike | On wheels | 2,320 | 5% | Head | Bruise or scrape | Adults (25–44) |
| Riding e-bikes & scooters | On wheels | 1,980 | 5% | Face | Fracture | Adults (25–44) |
| Missing a step on the stairs | On the stairs | 1,950 | 5% | Ankle | Sprain or strain | Middle-aged (45–64) |
| Falling over rugs, cords & pets | On foot | 1,840 | 4% | Face | Fracture | Seniors (65+) |
Elsewhere, the report strangely groups answering a phone call and picking up a dropped phone into the same category. The latter is clearly more dangerous, especially considering that answering calls can be managed without physically handling your phone. That’s not to say that hands-free calling is completely safe, but grouping it with the physical act of picking up a dropped phone while driving doesn’t make much sense.
Regardless, the report does make a convincing case for being more mindful of when and where we use our phones. Distracted driving, of course, gets attention, but even seemingly harmless habits like checking your phone while walking or climbing the stairs can have serious consequences.
