BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND, January 23, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The YouTube clip* of a lady who is so engrossed in texting on her mobile phone that she falls head first in to fountain in a shopping mall has become an Internet sensation, getting nearly 2 million hits in just a week. Happily, the girl appears to be uninjured, telling one of the mall employees who asks if she is okay that she is "just a little wet."
Commenting on the clip, Stephen Ebbett from iPhone insurance (http://www.protectyourbubble.com/ip-iphone-insurance.html) provider Protect your bubble says: "While the clip was classic slapstick style comedy, the dangers of texting while walking should not be under estimated. People can do themselves a very serious injury by pedestrian texting."
Certainly, the dangers of walking and texting have been noticed. In March 2008, Brick Lane in London became the UK's first "safe text" street, with lamp posts along the street being padded.
Research carried out at that time revealed that almost two thirds (62%) of Brits concentrate so hard while texting that they lose their peripheral vision.
And a study conducted last year by Aston University*** found that texters miss one in five potential hazards (which for an average pedestrian could be bollards, curbs, lamp posts, parked cars etc) because they are so preoccupied with their mobile phones.
It is believed that one in 10 people have had some kind of accident*** as a result of texting while walking, with A & E departments seeing more and more injuries that have occurred as a result of this.
Mr. Ebbett continues: "Texting while walking can be dangerous and people need to be more aware of their surroundings, especially when walking on busy streets. Protecting themselves against having an unnecessary accident could be as simple as putting their mobile phone away until such time they can find a place to have "safe text".
"Luckily, the YouTube lady was uninjured. However, the same could probably not be said for her phone which is likely to have been badly damaged by both the water and the impact of the fall."
He added that protecting a mobile phone can be easy with iPhone insurance: "Most people think insurance is not necessary as the things it typically covers - accidental damage, theft, breakdown, and with some providers, loss - won't happen to them. Yet, as the YouTube clip shows, accidents can happen in the strangest of circumstances.
"Our policies cover accidental damage - including liquid damage, which would have been ideal for the YouTube lady - and prices start at an affordable GBP5.99 a month, with loss cover costing just GBP1 extra a month."
Other than iPhone insurance packages, Protect your bubble also offers gadget insurance on cameras, camcorders, notebooks, Blackberry devices, iPods, iPads mobile phones, game consoles, MP3 players, PCs, PDAs, Macbooks and satnavs from GBP1.49 a month.
*To watch the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg11glsBW4Y&feature=player_embedded#!
**http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-525785/Brick-Lane-Britains-Safe-Text-street-padded-lampposts-prevent-mobile-phone-injuries.html
***http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1312656/Millions-putting-lives-risk-texting-walk.html
www.protectyourbubble.com is an online insurance provider trying to make personal insurance simple, easy and uncomplicated - from buying a policy to making a claim. It currently offers gadget, travel, car, life, car hire, home and pet insurance.
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