Horror smash prompts cops to BAN drivers from playing Pokemon Go at the wheel
Motorist left badly injured after losing control when he spotted a rare monster on the roadside
COPS have been forced to publicly ban drivers from playing “Pokémon Go” at the wheel after a motorist playing the addictive game slammed his car into a tree.
Steven Cary, 28, suffered a broken ankle and cuts to his leg after his car careered off the road in the US when he spotted a rare “Lapras” Pokemon flash up on his phone.
Police said he admitted to “actively playing the ‘Pokémon Go’ game while driving causing him to become distracted and run off the roadway into a tree”.
They have now issued a warning to gamers not to play the app while driving, following Cary’s crash at 10.45pm on Tuesday, in Auburn, upstate New York.
His mother Tricia, posting pictures of his crumpled car on Facebook, said her son did NOT catch the Pokémon he had been after when he took his eyes off the road.
She said: “The boy who will not answer a phone call or text while driving saw a ‘special’ Pokémon on his app while returning home. He looked down for a minute and woke up in an ambulance.
“Fortunately for him, a broken ankle and some lacerations are all the damage.
“Looking at his car, I am thankful for his life. Thankful that no one was in the death seat beside him because it is unlikely that they would have survived.
“Please think of these photos when you're tempted to text, read email, change the music, or God forbid, catch the elusive Lapras Pokemon while driving.
“And no, he didn't catch it - or if he did he doesn't know because the phone is buried in the twisted plastic and metal that used to be his brother's car.”
Auburn Police Department, which is expected to take action against Cary, released a safety alert noting how “easily accidents can occur when someone is engaged in the game”.
It also warned players not to bump into things while staring at their phone.
The warning said: “With the sudden popularity of the recently released phone application/game "Pokemon Go" the Auburn Police
Department would like to remind the public, using common sense when playing the game should be paramount above everything else.
“Do not use the application when you are operating a motor vehicle or bicycle. Do not trespass on private property when trying to 'catch' a Pokemon.
“Be aware of the your surroundings when walking and do not stare down at your phone not knowing hazards around you like roadways, drop-offs, waterways etc.
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“Use caution when sharing your location as strangers can see your location information. Travel in groups in public/well lit locations.”
The move comes after several historical sites and museums – including the Auschwitz camp and the 9/11 museum – issued warnings for players.
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