Is Pokemon Go actually increasing danger on the roads?

On Behalf of | Jul 19, 2016 | Car Accidents

You may have heard about the claims in the media suggesting that a lot of people are getting hurt or even committing crimes while playing the new game Pokemon Go. While some of these claims have been exaggerated, there are stories around the United States indicating that this smartphone game may be increasing dangers on the roads.

First off, there are reports of people playing the game while they drive. Some people have even posted pictures that show — through their phones — that Pokemon characters are sitting on the dashboards of their cars. This implies that they were watching the screen while driving, rather than the road.

In one case, a young man actually drove right off of the road and into a tree while he was playing. Pictures showed that his car was likely totaled, the front of it entirely smashed in, and he admitted he’d been playing the game behind the wheel.

In another case, a person stopped, parked the car illegally, got out and ran off to catch one of the characters. While that was happening, another car ran into the illegally parked car from behind, hitting it hard enough that the airbags went off.

In still another case, a 15-year-old girl was playing the game and walked into the road. She was hit by a car and ended up in the hospital.

As you can see, distracted drivers and pedestrians are causing accidents while playing this popular new game. If you’ve been injured in such an accident caused by someone who was distracted, you may be able to seek compensation in Indiana.

Source: Daily Beast, “Real Dangers in the Fake Pokemon World,” Amelia Warshaw, July 16, 2016

FindLaw Network