Pokemon Go and Distracted Driving

Written and Reviewed by Michael Agruss

Managing Partner and Personal Injury Lawyer at Mike Agruss Law.
Over 20 years of experience in Personal Injury.
Over 8000+ consumer rights cases settled.
Graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law: Juris Doctor, 2004.

Almost everyone is now aware, or at least has heard of, the new “Pokemon Go” smartphone game which has brought people of all ages outside to catch Pokemon with their phones (which can be seen through the phone’s screen as if they were invisible in real life) by traveling to different locations. However, it has also created some unnecessary distractions, many of which have resulted in accidents and injuries.

A teenage girl ran across a highway while playing the game and was struck by a vehicle; two men in California fell 50 to 90 feet down a cliff while playing the game; and its potential for contributing to distracted driving could be as bad as texting or even drugs or alcohol. “Playing games like ‘Pokemon Go’ while driving is a distraction just like sending or receiving a text while behind the wheel,” says Karen Morgan, AAA’s Public Policy Manager.

The game’s popularity among younger people makes it a higher risk factor for distracted driving, and the U.S. Government’s official distracted driving website states that the age group of fifteen to nineteen has the largest portion of drivers who were distracted at the time of a fatal auto accident.

Here are some tips offered by the American Automobile Association to avoid using your mobile phone while driving:

Silence the phone and turn off vibration – This prevents the phone from distracting you with noise or sense of touch. Airplane mode is also available on most phones to reduce or eliminate (temporarily) the phone’s capacity to text-message or place or receive calls.
Ask for help – If you have any passengers in the vehicle, ask them to handle any GPS navigation, text messaging, or phone calls while you drive.
Let family and friends know when you’re unavailable – If you are usually driving at specific times of the day, such as to and from work, be sure your loved ones are aware to avoid being distracted at these times.
Put it in the trunk or glove compartment – If you are confident you will not need it even for an urgent matter while driving, put it somewhere that is not easily accessible so you can focus on the road.
Download a safety app – “There’s an app for that.” There is a wide variety of safety apps available to discourage and prevent drivers from being distracted by their phones when behind the wheel. Take advantage of them if you can.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a distracted driver, contact Mike Agruss Law, LLC for a free consultation. We are a Chicago-based injury law firm representing individuals (and their families) who have suffered an injury in an accident. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you.

Lastly, Mike Agruss Law is not paid attorneys’ fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.

Pokemon Go and Distracted Driving

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