Pokemon GO is the latest craze. It has swept the nation and it’s sweeping the world. But Pokemon GO has people going crazy! The craze is creating havoc and leaving damage and injury in its wake.
People of all ages are playing the game, and in their rush to get them all, they are behaving irresponsibly
and dangerously. Some players are so wrapped up in the game that they are losing all sense of the consequences of their actions. As a result, police and other public safety agencies throughout the world are concerned about the escalation of behaviors associated with the game.
Pokemon GO is causing a plethora of crazy behavior by normally sensible people. From illegal and dangerous trespassing to distracted pedestrians walking into objects and into traffic, to distracted driving accidents, the toll of injuries is rising rapidly.
Consider some of the recent headlines about Pokemon Go-related accidents.
- The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that two men who apparently were playing the game fell of a 90-foot ocean bluff and had to be rescued.
- Pokestops at national and state landmarks are causing havoc for tourists in many places.
- Three teenagers were stopped at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Ohio for trespassing on the site seeking Pokemon characters.
- Police at Texas A&M University reported a traffic accident when an illegally parked car was struck from behind and airbags were deployed in the second car. The driver of the parked car had left the vehicle to catch a Pokemon.
- In Maryland and in New York, Pokemon GO players have been victims of armed robbery.
- A driver in Texas wrapped his car around a tree while playing the game.
- A Reddit user posted on July 7 that “Pokemon GO put me in the ER” because he or she slipped and fell into a ditch fracturing the 5th metatarsal bone.
- In Pennsylvania, a 15-year-old girl was hit by a car while looking at her mobile phone and crossing a busy highway.
- A number of players have even driven or backed into police cruisers while playing.
- Players have even caused major highway pile-ups.
In addition to the numerous accident reports, there have been many trespassing charges, and even breaking and entering charges. No game – not even the latest craze – is worth criminal charges that could destroy your future.
Further, Pokemon GO players have been lured to places where they have been robbed or assaulted for their possessions and their Pokemon characters. When these things happen, it is clear that the game is completely out of control, as are the people playing the game.
It is important to remember that you are liable for your actions and any harm or damage that results from your actions, even while playing Pokemon GO. If you injure another person in your blind search for a Pokemon character, you could be subject to criminal prosecution and civil litigation.
A 25-year-old man from Houston, TX is trying to sue the Pokemon GO company for $500 million after he was hit by a car while using the game app. He reported not recalling the accident, but waking up in the hospital with a fractured skull and both of his legs broken. According to doctors, he may never walk again.
In Jacksonville, FL, a 15-year-old-boy killed his 13-year-old brother because he thought his younger brother had deleted his Pokemon. In fact, the younger brother had only logged him out of the game.
If you are playing Pokemon GO, please play responsibly and help your children to understand the importance of doing so. It would be a terrible loss to see a young life cut short by the distraction of a game that cannot be won. NO ONE CAN CATCH THEM ALL.
- Don’t play while driving.
- Watch where you are going when walking.
- Don’t go off alone in search of a character that might not exist.
- Don’t trespass on private property.
- Don’t break and enter into any location in search of a character.
- Park your vehicle legally and safely before leaving it in search of a character.
- Remain aware of your surroundings at all times.
Pokemon GO may be the latest craze, but it is not necessary to play the game in a crazed state of mind.
