Image Source: Seattle Times BY KERRY LEARY ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE Many of us are guilty of running into someone-- or something-- while texting and walking at the same time. Well, walkers beware. A new study released says distracted walking can be just as dangerous as distracted driving. Here’s KMTR. “A new study shows people texting while crossing a busy Seattle intersection were less likely to look both ways before stepping off the curb. One in three pedestrians were distracted. Talking on a cell phone and walking with pets or children are all considered distracting activities. The study also found it takes distracted walkers two seconds longer to cross the street. KKTV has more. “Many people say they forget to look both ways before stepping into the street. they’re just so busy on their phone, they’re texting away and forget that elementary rule, look both ways before you cross the street. The research concluded texters are four times more likely to ignore traffic lights. The study corresponds with the startling statistics about distracted walker injuries. The Seattle Times reports, Vehicle-pedestrian accidents injure 60,000 and kill 4,000 people every year in this country and more than 1,100 people were hospitalized for texting while walking in 2011. Experts believe that number is under-reported because those injured are reluctant to report what they were actually doing when they were injured. Bloomberg spoke with a safety expert about the new study. “The best ways to prevent something like this are what?” “Well, awareness. Awareness that when you're walking through an intersection, the only thing you should be doing is walking through the intersection and paying attention.” USA Today spoke with a pediatrician who said it’s most important to get children and teenagers to change their distracted walking behavior to stop the dangerous trend.