The warning comes from the university's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland, which studied "distracted walkers" at CBD intersections in February.

That research identified Brisbane's top 10 high-risk CBD intersections as:

1. Elizabeth and Albert streets
2. Queen, Eagle and Wharf streets
3. Ann and Edward streets
4. Adelaide and Edward streets
5. Elizabeth and Edward streets
6. Adelaide and Albert streets
7. Elizabeth and George streets
8. Ann and George streets
9. Wharf, Turbot and Creek streets
10. Adelaide and George streets

Senior research fellow Mark King said the results, published by Austroads earlier this year, suggested more and more young people were simply crossing intersections in crowds on their mobile phones assuming there was "safety in numbers".

"The amount of crossing that is done by people who are distracted by their mobile phones, particularly between 18 and 30, is really very high," Mr King said on Thursday.

"They could could taking a call, they could be texting or even searching the internet."

Mr King said this meant a lot of "new dynamics" for road safety researchers.

"What we believe is that there is a tendency for them to think that if there is a lot of people beginning to walk, so it must be OK because there is safety in numbers and that may or may not be the case," he said.

Mr King said CARRS-Q's 2009 Brisbane pedestrian safety research showed distracted pedestrians had eight times the risk of being involved in accidents with cars.

"So now we think this is something that needs to followed up," he said.

Mr King said further research was needed before researchers could say the boom in mobile phones was leading to accidents between cars and pedestrians.

Crashes between cars and pedestrian in the CBD cost $14 million last year and $135 million since 2005, according to figures reported to Brisbane City Council.

Most of the accidents between pedestrians and cars occurred because jaywalking – crossing the road outside pedestrian and zebra crossings - remained rife in Brisbane.

Fairfax Media witnessed more than 50 people jaywalking on Adelaide Street, near City Hall, in a 15 minute period on Thursday.

The CARRS-Q research found there had been a 54 per cent increase in the number of people crossing the road on a flashing red light since the council introduced timed intersection crossings.

The council was reviewing its policy of timed traffic signals at intersections where cars turn left or right across pedestrians.

According to the CARRS-Q study, the problem was with the pedestrians themselves.

"Violation of the Queensland Road Rules by pedestrians is one of the most predominant contributing factors in all crashes involving pedestrians," the report found.

"Knowledge of pedestrian rules does not seem to be the issue.

"Rather, pedestrians want to cross where it is convenient for them and with as little delay as possible."

The November 2016 report to Brisbane City Council has found some improvements in pedestrian behaviour at crossings after comparing 2009 findings with 2016 findings, including:

• a 9 per cent increase, to 86.1 per cent, in the number of pedestrians who "lawfully use signalised pedestrians crossings".
• an 86 per cent decrease in the number of pedestrians who unlawfully cross against red lights.
• a 76.5 per cent decrease in pedestrians unlawfully crossing outside all pedestrian crossings.
• a 54 per cent increase in the number of pedestrians unlawfully crossing against the flashing red light at signalised crossings.

Council officers have proposed a high-profile trial to raise the public profile of accidents at, or close to traffic lights, pedestrian and zebra crossings.

It would include new pedestrian safety stickers at 50 high-risk intersections and an immediate review of the council's timed pedestrian crossings policy.

Extra police would be requested to blitz pedestrians at Brisbane's most 'at risk' intersections.