Driver Killed a Pedestrian in Japan While Playing Pokemon Go (fortune.com)

An anonymous reader writes: One woman was killed and another injured. In what police are calling Japan's first death linked to Pokemon Go, a driver playing the smartphone game hit two pedestrians on Tuesday night, officials said. The collision broke the neck of one woman, killing her, and left another woman with a broken hip, the Wall Street Journal reports. Police in Tokushima, on the western Japanese island of Shikoku, told the Wall Street Journal the women were crossing the street when the car struck them. The man driving the car did not see them because was playing Pokemon Go.

Comments

Don't blame Pokemon GO

[Anonymous Coward]

Blame the subclass of humanity that finds it acceptable to operate their devices while driving.

What has Pokemon Go really go to do with this?

[OzPeter]

The headline should really be "Unsafe driver kills pedestrian". If it wasn't Pokemon Go, it would have been texting or some other action that caused this muppet to kill someone.

Re:They apparently need to add another pop up

[cayenne8]

Or they could be smart and lock out users when they're moving so fast they're obviously not on foot.

Well, it does throw up messages if you're moving too fast, but if you cut it off completely, they passengers couldn't play, which wouldn't be nice, especially if you have a car load of kids playing. It keeps them busy, you know.

But really there are ALREADY laws on the books against DISTRACTED DRIVING.....how is this any different?

Those laws are quite broad enough..and if you get caught doing so, then they should rip your license up in front of you, and point you towards the nearest tricycle shop, or bus pass station.

But for heaven's sakes, we don't need more laws, etc.

And no, Nintento should not be liable for individual stupidity.