Study: Pokemon Go Caused 145,000 Car Accidents in the U.S.

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Car Accidents

A recent study published earlier this month by Purdue University’s professors of finance and management, Mara Faccio and John McConnell, estimates that the popular augmented reality game, Pokemon Go, is responsible for about 145,000 car accidents in the first five months after its release in 2016. Of those car accidents, approximately 29,000 people were injured and 250 people were killed.

The study also shows that the accident frequency rate was almost 27 percent higher at intersections located within 100 meters of a “PokéStops” (referring to landmarks or public places where gamers can obtain collectibles to help them progress in Pokemon Go) as compared to other street intersections.

The study was conducted in Tippecanoe County, Indiana and the report suggests that the cost of users playing the popular virtual reality game while driving in the county is between $5.2 million to $25.5 million within the first five months following the game’s release. The cost includes vehicular damage, personal injuries, and the human lives lost in the car crashes caused by the drivers or passengers playing Pokemon Go.

The Use of Smartphones Linked to an Increase in Traffic Accidents

The Purdue University report suggested that it is not only Pokemon Go that is linked to an increase in car crashes, but that the release of smartphones and the thousands of apps they come with make it easier for drivers to be distracted while on the road. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute stated that the reason why insurance premiums increased by 16 percent between 2011 and 2016 is because of the possible link between the use of smartphones and car accidents.

Notably, it is not only drivers who are distracted while using apps such as Pokemon Go. In the case of Pokemon Go, passengers often order the individual driving a car to slow down or stop when it is not safe to do so. Pedestrians crossing the street may be preoccupied with their smartphones and not notice an oncoming car or a change in traffic signals.

While there is an increasing number of anti-distracted driving campaigns in the U.S., research and statistics show that more needs to be done in order to combat distracted driving caused by cell phone usage.

Contact an Experienced Lake County Personal Injury Attorney

At Salvi & Maher, LLP, we are committed to helping victims of car accidents obtain the compensation they deserve. If you or a loved one were involved in a motor vehicle crash due to a driver’s negligence, contact our Waukegan car accidents lawyers by calling 847-662-3303.

Sources:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Papers.cfm?abstract_id=3073723

https://www.fastcodesign.com/90152591/pokemon-go-car-crashes-are-just-a-small-part-of-a-larger-crisis

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3793050/Don-t-Pokemon-drive-110-000-road-accidents-caused-game-just-10-days.html