"Pokemon Go"-related accidents have been making headlines since Nintendo launched the augmented reality game in July. A social media survey by Dr. John Ayers of the San Diego University reveals that over a 10-day period, the game caused 110,000 incidents due to distracted pedestrians and drivers.
Dr. Ayers and his team looked into Twitter posts made from July 10 to 19, the 10-day period following the release of "Pokemon Go," to gather driving-related incidents caused by the game. Based on a sample of 4,000 messages, the total number of incidents due to players who were either negligent drivers or pedestrians totaled 113,993. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concluded that "Pokemon Go" is unsafe because it distracts drivers and pedestrians.
According to Dr. Ayers, the numbers are large enough to require "immediate public health action" considering that the total number could be higher since not all incidents are posted on Twitter. He also added that several accidents occur because passengers order drivers around, "interfering with driving safety."
In August, Japan Times reported the first fatal accident caused by "Pokemon Go" in Japan. A driver who was playing the game hit two female pedestrians; one died while the other sustained serious injuries. Many incidents of trespassing, driving negligence and carelessness have also been reported in countries where the game has been launched.
At present, "Pokemon Go' is already experiencing a decline in game engagement but this does not discount the study findings that the game is a proven road hazard.
Based on the NBC News report, Dr. Ayers and his team suggest that the developers should take an active role in making it safer. Currently, speed restriction is 10 miles per hour but they can should devise a way to prohibit game access at any driving speed. They also suggested disabling gameplay "near roadways and parking lots" since many accidents take place in these areas. To improve pedestrian and driver safety, clear warnings should be displayed in the game.
