Meridian Collision Center

Is Pokemon Go a Dangerous Game?

Pokemon Go came out in July, and it has already enthralled fans worldwide. It’s well on its way to becoming the most popular iPhone app ever. The goal of Pokemon Go is to capture a wide range of Pokemon's creatures displayed through an augmented reality on the player's screen while hunting through a series of actual places. With more than 21 million active U.S. users within just the first two weeks of its launch, Pokemon Go is not just a fad, it's a full-blown phenomenon!

Many gamers and even their parents are praising this smartphone gaming app, because players of the game are actually getting off the couch to hunt for animated characters. But, it is also receiving a ton of attention for accidents and tickets that are happening to people who are either innocent bystanders or playing while driving. 

Here at Meridian Collision Center, we fix cars back to their pre-accident condition, but this Pokemon Go app is scary for game players and non-players here in Puyallup, WA and nationwide, because obviously it comes with some serious safety issues.

Right at its inception, a woman playing Pokemon Go in a parking lot in Canada was almost struck by a driver who was playing the game as well. Then, in Maine, a Pokemon Go player was hit by a driver while using the app. These two incidents got national attention, but the most notable of all was when a Pokemon Go aficionado rammed into a police car while playing the game on his smartphone.

"Reports of close calls associated with playing Pokemon Go already are rolling in," according to a release put out by the National Safety Council (NSC). "The Council urges gamers to consider safety over their scores before a life is lost...and implores drivers to refrain from playing the game behind the wheel."

According to the NSC, distractions while driving are already a well-known and often publicized threat to safety that endangers both drivers and pedestrians alike. Distracted walking has contributed to more than 11,000 injuries in the past 10 years alone while distracted driving has called literally thousands of fatalities. Almost every one of these injuries and deaths could have been prevented if only pedestrians and drivers could stay alert and vigilant. "Wait. Park. Then, Pokemon GO! Do NOT use mobile gaming apps while driving," the Tennessee Highway Safety Office posted on its Facebook page. Even the NY Police Department has advised players not to "drive or ride your bike, skateboard, or other device while interacting with the app…you can't do both safely."

Sources: National Safety Council, Tennessee Highway Safety Offices and NY Police Department