The “Pokémon Go” app has been such a blockbuster success that Adweek claimed it was mentioned by over 231 million people on Instagram and Facebook in its first month alone.
Since “Pokémon Go” sets people on miles-long missions catching digital monsters while staring down at their phone or tablet screen, they often become so engrossed in the game that they have no idea they are putting themselves and others in danger.
An alarming array of mishaps have happened, including predators luring users to isolated areas to rob them and homeowners starting class action lawsuits against players clustering on their properties or shooting at them while thinking they are robbers. Players have walked unwittingly over borders, into traffic, and off a cliff, while others got stuck in a cave. The problem is so serious that the Red Cross released a preventative safety video that seems part survival strategy.
“Don’t Pokémon and Drive”
Some features of the game are dependent upon players having logged a certain number of kilometers. One way to acquire rare Pokémon is by hatching eggs. When players find an egg, they must walk a certain distance in order to hatch it, so you can see how it might be tempting for someone obsessed with the game to want to speed up this process. Some strap phones and tablets to turntables, their pets, or ceiling fans. Others, unfortunately, take to the road.
Driving while playing the app is happening so often that in Japan, authorities wrote over 700 citations in the first few weeks after the app went live. In the United States, people have left their cars running near Central Park in search of creatures or have stopped in the middle of the highway with disastrous results.
Taking “Pokémon Go” mobile via car is so popular that a cottage industry has sprung up on Craigslist with chauffeurs offering to drive players around. The app itself requires players to confirm that they are not driving after they reach a certain speed. Distracted driving is already an epidemic. Adding this app to other temptations such as texting while driving is such a disturbing prospect that highways now have signs that say “Don’t Pokémon and drive!” and “Wait to GO until you’re stopped!”
Needless to say, hearing about Pokémon Go car accidents has become sadly commonplace.
Problems in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Within the first few weeks of release in Pennsylvania, a fifteen-year-old girl was hit by a car while crossing a highway and a New Jersey woman got stuck in a tree, both while playing. Another New Jersey player stopped in the middle of the highway, causing a fatal accident.
According to the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, it is a primary offense to use a cell phone or handheld device while driving, unless used for an emergency. Pennsylvania also deems it illegal to use a cell phone while driving. As with many negligent actions, those who play while behind the wheel are breaking the law. Recklessness is the cause of countless accidents and fatalities, and those who harm others need to be held accountable.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers
You shouldn’t have to suffer because of someone else’s negligence. If you think a “Pokémon Go” player caused your accident, or if some other form of distracted driving was to blame, contact the Pearce Law Firm at 215-557-8686. We specialize in personal injury cases, and we can provide you with options and help you pursue compensation.
The post “Pokémon Go” Bringing New Meaning to Distracted Driving appeared first on The Pearce Law Firm.