The hidden dangers of trousers

As if the increasing number of dangerous counterfeit batteries weren't enough of a worry for mobile phone owners, now comes a warning about tight trousers.

A survey of 300 retailers in Sweden found that squeezing handsets into snug-fitting trousers is the second leading cause of broken phones. Apparently, the phones simply can't handle the pressure, and screens break, or covers bend or crack.

To put it in perspective, tight trousers break more phones than dogs, children, rain, snow, acts of forgetfulness and throwing phones to the ground in a rage, according to a report on the survey by mobile phone news website Cellular News. The site said Siemens conducted the survey.

The number one reason for broken phones, according to the survey, is accidentally dropping them.

The survey, and its surprising results, add another twist to what's turned out to be a year of living dangerously for mobile phone users. Especially in the United States, watchdog groups devoted to the safety of consumer products say they've fielded many more reports this year than ever before regarding mobile phone meltdowns that have resulted in injury and property damage.

Defective or counterfeit batteries have caused nearly all of the reported incidents, while others were caused by dropped phones, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Ben Charny writes for CNET News.com.