Pedestrian Accidents and Pokémon Go

Whether it is your friends, siblings, kids, or coworkers, chances are that you know someone who plays Pokémon Go. The new mobile game has gained massive popularity among kids and adults alike, quickly becoming one of the most downloaded applications around the nation. Alongside its growing fan base, the game has also garnered serious criticisms amid numerous reports of accidents involving drivers and pedestrians. Many, including law enforcement, medical professionals, and concerned parents, assert that the game constitutes a dangerous distraction which opens up the public to the risk of serious injury.

What Makes Pokémon Go Especially Problematic?

Mobile games and smartphones are nothing new, so why has Pokémon Go become the center of such controversy? This is the question that many people are asking and the answer may lie within how players are meant to control their in-game avatar. In Pokémon Go, unlike with most games, in order to control characters in-game, players must physically move around within the real world. The game uses a phone’s GPS in conjunction with google maps data to actively track a player’s location and movement. The more a player moves, the more they are rewarded.

While specifically created to be used while walking, some users have sought to shortcut the system and play the game while driving. As the game typically absorbs a player’s attention completely, Pokémon Go related accidents resulted almost immediately after the games release. In fact, a quick google search will bring up reports of accidents from all over the world caused by drivers who veered off course hitting pedestrians, parked cars, and roadside objects such as trees.

In response to these criticisms, the game’s developers, Niantic, have implemented several features in an attempt to dissuade users from playing while it is unsafe to do so. For example, each time a player logs in, they must acknowledge that they will pay attention to their surroundings and will not play while driving. Additionally, several main features of the game shut down if it registers that a player is moving too fast. Despite numerous counter measures by Niantic, reports continue to surface of accidents caused by distracted Pokémon Go players.

Pedestrians Injured by Distracted Drivers

When a person chooses to play Pokémon Go while driving, they put the lives of others at risk. While pedestrians must be aware of their surroundings, the speed and inertia of a motor vehicle may be impossible to avoid when piloted by a distracted driver. If you or a loved one has fallen victim to the reckless actions of a Pokémon Go player, our firm wants to hear your story.

At Cohn & Swartzon, P.C., we have substantial experience helping victims to recover damages from medical costs, missed work, physical pain, and mental anguish. If you have questions, talk to our Orange County personal injury attorneys about your accident in a FREE consultation.

Call (888) 480-3883 and learn about which legal options may be available to you.