The new virtual reality game Pokémon Go has become wildly popular with individuals of all ages. The game requires players to hunt for Pokémon using the GPS feature on their phone. Unfortunately, as popular as the game has been, it is now receiving negative attention for being the cause of several accidents. Just recently, the game has been blamed for leading a teen into traffic where she was struck by a car.
A 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl is recuperating from her injuries after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a highway. According to authorities, on a Tuesday evening the young woman was hunting for Pokémon when the game guided her toward a busy highway. As the virtual reality game uses the GPS feature of a phone to guide players to areas where Pokémon can be caught, the game showed a Pokémon on the other side of the road. While trying to cross the busy roadway, the 15-year-old was struck by a car, resulting in a collarbone and foot injury.
A spokesperson for the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, where the young woman was taken, told reporters that the 15-year-old was not the first patient they have treated for injuries related to playing the game. Not only are players getting injured while hunting for the imaginary creatures, they are also wandering into restricted and sacred places, such as hospitals and museums.
While this is not the first case of an individual being injured while playing Pokémon Go, it will likely not be the last. And, as fortunate as this young woman was to survive this accident, the next individual a not be as lucky. Parents of children that have been injured while playing Pokémon Go or because of someone else’s negligence may benefit by working with an experienced personal injury attorney.