Personal injury attorney A.J. Mitchell, in light of a number of accidents involving Pokémon GO, illustrates the importance of safety and paying attention while playing games on cell phones.
Mitchell, founder of The Law Office of A.J. Mitchell, P.L.C., in light of a spate of accidents involving people playing the popular Pokémon GO, discusses the extreme risks while playing games on cell phones and the distraction it causes drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each day in the United States over eight people are killed and 1,161 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.
“People playing games on cell phones while driving puts their lives, and the lives of others, in danger,” said Mitchell. “This is even worse than texting and driving or perhaps even driving while intoxicated, because in a game the user requires constant feedback. Looking at the phone for a longer period of time necessarily means less attention to the road, and hence cell phone gaming is recklessly distracting.”
Mitchell further stresses that the makers of cell phone games should have better disclaimers, such as “Do not play while driving.” As it stands, however, many disclaimers are generally generic, and advise users to merely be aware of their surroundings.
“Obviously, despite disclaimers, people should know not to play games while driving,” said Mitchell. “And if you are injured by the negligence of someone playing a game while driving, speak to an attorney immediately.”
