Accident on 80Pokémon Go: Driving and Safety Concerns
Ever since Pokemon Go came out, it seems to be all the millennials and news channels want to talk about. When the news talks about it, they say one of two things: They emphasize the craze, or they talk about the crazy accidents that have been happening. People are getting so wrapped up in the augmented reality game that they are falling off of cliffs and walking into streets.
We noticed that there is a Pokestop just down the street from our office because ever since the game was released, we have teenagers swirling around our windows at a never-before-seen rate. One day it even seemed like the zombie apocalypse was actually happening. Instead of zombies, they were 16 year old iPhone wielding Poke-drones. I even saw a car stop in the middle of the street near the Jackrabbit sign, the local landmark in our small town, to get the Pokestop.
Because of this, the accident and injury attorneys here at Guest and Gray decided it would be wise to let people know a few facts about accidents and injuries that may occur as a result of playing Pokémon Go.
Number One: Pay Attention to Your Surroundings – The app warns that you should always pay attention to your surroundings. If you slip & fall on the sidewalk, or walk into a busy street trying to catch that Bulbasaur and get hit by a car, hiring a personal injury lawyer could allow you to recoup some of your medical costs and time missed from work. However, the fact that you were distracted by a video game and wandered into the street will likely go a long way in proving who was at fault in the accident.
Number Two: Distracted Driving– While Pokémon Go shows Pokémon popping even while you are driving, most cities have ordinances against distracted driving and you will likely get a ticket for a Class C Misdemeanor. If you cause an accident because you were playing and receive a ticket under the locales distracted driving ordinance, that ticket will go a long way to proving fault. Nobody wants to explain to the judge that they drove recklessly because they were trying to catch a Pokémon. That will most likely not go over very well.
Number Three: Be Alert!– You may not be playing Pokémon Go like everybody else is, but because you know that there are lots of people who are be extra careful out there on the roads. Most of the people playing Pokémon Go are younger adults and teenagers who are, for the most part, walking drones with iPhones. Now they are even more distracted and less interested in their real surroundings and much more in their virtual surroundings. There are lots of children walking around neighborhoods playing games on their phones. So while they are walking in front of your car trying to catch a Pikachu, please keep an eye out for our Kidachu’s.
You should always pay close attention to your surroundings, and until all this Pokémon craze simmers down, you will need to be extra careful just in case. This advice is not just to save you from unnecessary litigation. It is about the safety of the people of our community.
About Our Firm:
Guest and Gray, P.C. is an experienced litigation team serving all North Texas counties. We are the largest and highest rated law firm in Rockwall and Kaufman County. We regularly pursue and defend various civil litigation claims, including personal injury claims. Our practice is quickly growing, and we have multiple offices in the area to provide maximum convenience to our clients. We are longtime faces in our community and we love what we do. We seek to provide an air of calm and confidence for our clients during a difficult time. We believe that makes us a little bit different from everybody else, and we like it that way.
For more information, or if you are seeking legal advice, give us a call at (972) 564-4644.
