NTT DoCoMo produces a simulation about the dangers of texting while walking

When one thinks of the city of Tokyo, Japan, chances are you will think of something relative to a crowded space. The city of over 13 million is a bustling beacon of activity and a showcase of technology and commerce.

One of the more interesting sights to behold there is the famous Shibuya train station, known for where passengers are literally stuffed on to the passenger cars before the train leaves the station.  Also well known is the Shibuya pedestrian crossing located at the station in downtown Tokyo. During an average crossing period, more than 1,500 people will make their way across the street before auto traffic starts moving again.

NTT DoCoMo, like most major wireless carriers, advocates for its customers to be safe while using their mobile devices. We have seen real-life videos where people would get into all sorts of problems from being distracted by simply walking while using their phone.

Japan, being the tech center that it is, has had advanced handsets for years. Even the flip phones had robust UIs allowing for the device to be, for some, the sole communications tool back when BlackBerrys were an "email only" option.

According to NTT DoCoMo, one in five people who text while walking are involved in some type of accident. The Japanese are as obsessed over their gadgets as anyone else. So NTT DoCoMo compiled a computer simulation of what the Shibuya crossing would look like if everyone were distracted using their device while trying to cross the street.

The simulation below accounts for 1,500 people, walking at average speeds between 3-6kph, and assuming for an average height and weight of Japanese people. The results are pretty spectacular, of the 1,500 sims involved, there were 446 collisions, 103 people got knocked down, and 21 smartphones got damaged. Moreover, barely a third even made it across the street at all before the signals changed.

For NTT DoCoMo, the company would rather you remain uninjured so you may continue as a paying customer, “It is not only dangerous for you, but there is the possibility of causing other people to be [hurt].”



source: NTT DoCoMo (YouTube) via Japan Trends