New study reveals danger in young drivers playing Pokémon Go

A September report confirms that driving while playing Pokémon Go isn’t safe.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recorded a total of 14 Pokémon Go-related crashes in the United States over the span of 10 days last July.

Tweets from players of the popular mobile app were carefully analyzed for the study. Messages such as, “omg I’m catching Pokémon and driving” were a clear indication that game players were behind the wheel.

The study provides hard data to back up continued safety concerns expressed by members of Washington State Patrol and other jurisdictions throughout the United States.

Authorities warn the public that fatalities caused by distracted driving have increased by nearly 31 percent in the last year. A total of 24 percent of young drivers were considered distracted after being involved in a fatal crash last year – that’s up from 18 percent in 2008.

In the words of Washington State Patrol: consider safety over high score.