Your safety is put at risk daily by those obsessed with catching the next digital monster. This particular driver hit a tree instead of another driver and luckily suffered minor injuries. While this incident occurred in Auburn Pokemon Go isn’t isolated to just that area; people across the world are on the search for the next Pokemon character. These cartoon monsters occupy the screen of a Smartphone while reality surrounds as the background while you are on the move. Leaving the driver to keep their focus on the screen of the phone instead of the reality going on around them.
The primary responsibility of someone in a motor vehicle is driving. Anything that requires attention away from that is considered a distraction. Now, let’s look at some statistics provided by the U.S. Government that reflect vehicle accidents and distracted driving. There were 3,179 people killed and 431,000 injured in 2014 alone from distracted driving. Distracted driving was responsible for 10% of fatalities involving drivers 15-19 years of age. Driving at 55mph for 5 seconds will allow a driver to travel the length of a football field. 5 seconds is the average time a driver takes to look at a text. So you can imagine the things that could happen in that given time that would lead to an accident.
Pokemon Go is a current hobby of many people at this time and probably one of the most discussed. Let’s not forget that there are many causes for distracted driving that we have witnessed ourselves that have happened for years. For instance, eating, drinking, talking with passengers and it doesn’t stop there.
As a person affected by a distracted driver, you reserve the right for an attorney. Make an appointment today with a St. Louis personal injury attorney at Meyerkord & Kurth to have your legal rights represented appropriately. Our attorneys have been successful and have obtained more than $300 million in compensation for personal injury victims. Contact our office today.