Irish Rail reports rise in passenger accidents due to smartphone distraction

The number of slips, trips and falls at Irish train stations has risen mainly due to people being distracted by their phones, according to Irish Rail's safety report.

Irish Rail reports rise in passenger accidents due to smartphone distraction

The number of slips, trips and falls at Irish train stations has risen mainly due to people being distracted by their phones, according to Irish Rail's safety report.

The report reveals that the number of incidents jumped from 202 in 2015 to 261 last year.

However, the number of cars entering the railway at level crossings has fallen.

The company has also announced that it is installing a new train protection system across its fleet, which automatically applies the brakes on trains that are speeding.

Clinical Psychologist, Dr Malie Coyne, says smartphone addiction is especially prevalent among teenagers.

She said: "The reason for that is that you get a dopamine rush every time you check, so it's the same brain chemicals that are involved in cocaine addiction and drug addiction.

"So, for teenagers their reward circuitry in their brain is really quite sensitive."

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