The new Pokemon Go app has taken the world by storm, and while many are enjoying the game, some are experiencing severe accidents and hospitalization due to its addictive, augmented reality gameplay. Many incidents have involved motor vehicles, including pedestrians being hit by cars, a driver crashing into a tree and a driver illegally parking in order to catch Pokemon, which then resulted in an accident.
These incidents caused several Police departments to issue warnings and announcements to local citizens urging them to use the app with caution.
“As you battle, train and capture your Pokemon just remember you’re still in the real world.” San Francisco’s Police Department warned residents.
To our knowledge no deaths have been recorded due to the use of the app in motor vehicles, but considering the number of incidents and the severity of the incidents that have occurred recently, it’s not a stretch to think that there could be deaths in the future. For example, one pedestrian hit by a car while playing the game in Pennsylvania suffered injuries to her collarbone, foot and bruises. She was hospitalized for her injuries, though she will fully recover. If you have to Pokemon Go, please do so away from cars and roadways.
