Being glued to your smartphone is putting your children’s lives in danger
A quarter of parents were engrossed in their phones when kids had an accident or near miss
PARENTS who are glued to their phones are putting children’s lives at risk.
Mums and dads who can’t put their mobiles down are so distracted they could miss a split second chance to save a child from a serious accident, says a leading paediatrician.
Worrying research has found that almost a quarter of parents were engrossed in smartphones when their kids had an accident or a near miss.
And the obsession with our handsets is rubbing off on the children, with 15% of having accidents or near misses, including stepping into the road without looking, while on their smartphone.
The study of 1000 parents was carried out by the Child Accident Prevention Trust.
Now Dr Rahul Chodarhi, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, is urging parents to put down their phones.
He said: “Accidents often happen when we’re distracted and mobile phones are increasingly to blame – whether it’s a teenager stepping out into traffic while instant messaging or a baby grabbing at a hot drink or biting into a liquitab (laundry tablets) while their parent is replying to a text.
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“It only takes a split second for an accident to happen so I urge parents and young people to adapt their behaviour.”
As Child Safety Week kicks off, parents are being asked to turn off their mobiles at “pressure points during the day”.
Katrina Phillips, the Chief executive at the Child Accident Prevention Trust, said: “Mobile phones are a godsend for parents under pressure – we can do the shopping, keep in touch with friends and family, and keep our children entertained.
“But while we’re mesmerised by our mobiles, we’re putting children in danger. Serious accidents happen in seconds, often while we’re distracted, and mobiles are seriously distracting.”
“That’s why we’re encouraging families to turn off technology at pressure points during the day, to help keep children safe.”
Recent research found two-thirds of Britons own a smartphone, with a third checking the device within five minutes of waking up.
Child Safety Week takes place between 6-12 June.