Smartphone texting is linked to compromised pedestrian safety, with higher rates of ‘near misses’ and failure to look left and right before crossing a road than either listening to music or talking on the phone, indicates a pooled analysis of the available evidence, published online in the journal Injury Prevention. But much of the data is experimental and beset by quality issues, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions, caution the researchers, who call for a more thorough approach to exploring the impact of distracted pedestrian behaviors on crash risk. Worldwide, around 270,000 pedestrians die every year, accounting for around a fifth of all road traffic deaths. ‘Pedestrian distraction’ has become a recognized safety issue as more and more people use their smartphones or hand held devices while walking on the pavement and crossing roads. Talking on the phone was associated with a small increase in the time taken to start crossing the road and slightly more missed opportunities to cross the road safely. And as signage and public awareness campaigns don’t seem to alter pedestrian behavior, “Establishing the relationship between distracted walking behavior and crash risk is an essential research need,” they conclude.