Switched has a new home! Huffpost Tech.

Click here to visit the new home of Switched!

Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Teenager Falls Down Manhole While Texting and Walking

by Warren Riddle on July 12, 2009 at 03:52 PM



Numerous states have already implemented bans on texting while driving, but text-related injuries and deaths definitely aren't limited to the vehicular variety. In 2008, Illinois proposed legislation that would make texting and walking illegal, and now, as textual mishaps mount among pedestrians, those who ridiculed the idea may need to reconsider their stance.

The most recent walking-texting victim, 15-year-old Alexa Longueira of Staten Island, was happily (and obliviously) thumbing away when, in classic Looney Toons style, she disappeared into an open man hole cover. According to SILive.com, the teenager fell five feet, scraping her back and arms, before landing in a pile of muck.

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) workers said they left the hole unattended only while they were obtaining cones and markers with which to barricade it. DEP spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla said that the organization regrets the unfortunate incident, and that they hope Longueira fully and swiftly recovers. The Longueira family, of course, plan to pursue legal recourse.

If that doesn't satiate your thirst for texting failure, or if you just love slapstick and think bodily harm is hilarious, check out the Switched text-messaging Hall of Shame. [From: SILive.com]

Tags: killer gadgets, KillerGadgets, text fail, TextFail, texting injuries, texting while walking, TextingInjuries, TextingWhileWalking, top, TWW

Comments

43

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.

When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.

To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular