A new study has identified an upward trend in injuries associated with cell phone usage. Published last week in the JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surgery journal, the report suggests the injuries have “steeply” spiked since the advent of smartphones. The team of researchers from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in New Jersey pored over data from a backlog of head and neck injuries reported at emergency rooms in the U.S. from 1998 to 2017. Since the technological advancement, the researchers noticed a “much faster progression” in injuries than previously recorded. “Although mobile telephones were gaining popularity prior to that time point, their functions were limited, and they were therefore less likely to be major distractions when compared with modern-day smartphones,” the authors of the study wrote. Based on the findings, the authors of the new study suggest educating the public on potential risks that come with multitasking while using a mobile device. “With an increasing number of devices and applications competing for users’ attention, it is more important than ever to ensure the safe use of smartphones,” the authors write.