These days, we spend a lot of our time on our cell phones, computers, televisions, etc. for both business and pleasure. Often, we are stationary, but fortunately there are some electronic activities we can do that can get us moving around. One activity that has kept a lot of people up and moving is playing Pokémon Go, a free mobile augmented reality game in which players travel to real-world places in our quest to capture and tame Pokémon creatures.

Unfortunately, playing this popular game can also be dangerous. USA Today recently reported that some unsuspecting players are being lured into robberies while playing, and three unfortunate players even stumbled across a corpse while searching for Pokémon in a park.

These are extreme examples, but there are other problems, too. Several reports of individuals sustaining injuries as a result of playing Pokémon Go are circulating. They say that the players have sustained various injuries such as broken bones, head injuries and twisted ankles while engaging in “distracted walking;” basically, kids (and adults) are so consumed with the game that they aren’t paying attention to where they’re going, and they are tripping, slipping and falling on sidewalks and in the streets.

So far, the reported injuries appear to be non-life-threatening. However, playing the game can lead to auto accidents, as the game often distracts drivers, regardless of whether the passengers or the drivers themselves are playing. In fact, reports of auto accidents involving Pokémon Go are circulating. For instance, in Auburn, New York, a man hit a tree with his vehicle while he was playing Pokémon Go. A girl in Pennsylvania was hit by a car while crossing an intersection, and in Baltimore, a distracted driver actually hit a parked police car while the driver was playing the game. A false story circulated about a fatal auto accident in Knoxville, but the threat of players sustaining serious injuries was enough for the Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) to issue a warning about playing the game while driving or out on busy roadways.

What injuries do people sustain as a result of distracted driving?

All forms of distracted driving – texting while driving, drinking while driving, etc. – are dangerous by themselves, without Pokémon Go in the mix. In fact, distracted driving can cause serious injuries such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries, leading to paralysis
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Internal bleeding
• Permanent scarring due to lacerations
• Vision loss
• Hearing loss
• Loss of limb
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Pokémon Go is extremely popular right now, but we can use our common sense, mind our surroundings, and heed the warnings issued by police, health officials, the game’s makers, and others to avoid finding deceased bodies, being robbed, and arriving at questionable locations. We can help prevent auto accidents, caused by playing the game and/or other factors, if we do not play any game while we are driving. Similarly, we can ensure we do not get injured when playing the game if we remember that Pokémon Go is merely a game, not something that necessitates risky behavior or the endangering of our lives.

If you were injured in an auto accident, turn to the Sevierville auto accident attorneys at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC. We are here to help. For more information, call us at (865) 428-8780 or fill out our contact form. We proudly serve Sevierville, Gatlinburg, Seymour and Pigeon Forge.