The AAA Hoosier Motor Club is now on the list of groups warning of the dangers of Pokémon Go. The augmented-reality gaming app allows players to use their phones to hunt characters hiding in the real world. AAA calls the game a “very dangerous distraction” for those attempting to play it while driving, saying it dramatically increases drivers’ risk of getting in a crash.
The group reminds players to use common sense. They say if you do go on a Pokémon Go adventure, leave it up to the passengers to look at the game screen and guide the driver.
AAA says the game simply adds to the distractions drivers already face from their cell phones, and the danger is even greater for inexperienced teenage drivers. Additionally, the release of the game comes during the so-called “100 Deadliest Days of Summer,” the period when more teenagers are on the road and teen crash deaths increase.
AAA says that over the past five years, more than 1,000 people have died each summer in crashes involving teen drivers. On top of that, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says nearly 60 percent of teenage-driver crashes involve distracted driving.
To help remove distractions, AAA recommends silencing or turning off your phone while driving, putting the phone away, and asking family and friends not to contact you while you’re driving.
