"Pokemon GO" may be fun, but players should be aware of the potential dangers that it might pose, as reports say that more than 100,000 car accidents in the US were caused by the augmented reality game.
According to Daily Mail, a total of 113,993 incidents of automobile accidents have been attributed to drivers and pedestrians who were distracted by the game. This amount of road accidents has also added up in just as little as 10 days, indicating that the game may be posing a bigger health risk than just strained eyes or sore necks.
Expert Dr. John Ayers from San Diego University, California, has confirmed this, stating that the accidents causated by the game are becoming a dangerous side effect. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has also released a likewise sentiment towards the "Pokemon GO," concluding that the game is unsafe and causes drivers and pedestrians to become too distracted. Based on the number of incidents in just 10 days, the accidents caused by the game may no longer be treated as isolated cases per player.
Dr. Ayers, to bolster his data about the "Pokemon GO's" most dangerous side-effect, has taken to Twitter to study and monitor 4,000 messages and news reports randomly where the estimated 110,000 accidents were surmised over the 10-day period.
These incidents include a man driving his car into a tree from being distracted by the game while driving, and other similar incidents, 14 of which are identical to it. It is not just the driver being instrumental to the accidents; there were also some cases where their passengers would even tell them to stop, slow down, or speed up depending on the Pokemon present in the vicinity.
Other studies have also yielded the same results and conclusion, saying that "Pokemon GO" potentially causes accidents. This is due to the nature of the game where Pokemon are dispersed throughout different areas in a city and appear randomly and require smartphones in order to be found. While the game promotes physical activity and social interaction, it can also serve as a hindrance to social routines and otherwise safe activities when the player gets too focused or distracted.
Dr. Ayers went on to urge Niantic, the game's developers to ensure the safety of their players, especially those driving a car in order to minimize the said accidents. So far, Niantic has not commented on the issue.
