Phoenixville Issues Public Safety Warnings In Light of Pokemon Go

Phoenixville, PA -- Phoenixville police joined law enforcement agencies and community groups around the region in warning of the potential dangers of Pokemon Go, which has led obsessed players to drive distracted, trespass on private property, and even walk straight off cliffs.

Phoenixville Police issued the following reminders for the community on what has become, in some areas, a public safety hazard:

• A curfew is established in the Borough of Phoenixville. The hours of this curfew shall begin at 11:00 p.m., prevailing time, on each day and end at 5:00 a.m., prevailing time, on the day next succeeding.
• It shall be unlawful for any child who has not reached the 18th anniversary of the date of his or her birth to be in any public place, on any public street or in any public way within the Borough of Phoenixville within the hours of said curfew as herein above defined, unless such child is proceeding expeditiously in the most direct route to his home from his place of employment or from a function duly sponsored by the school attended by such child, if such employment or school function detains such child so that he cannot arrive at his then place of abode before the hour of curfew.
• Also please remember all Borough Parks close at 10:00 p.m. Which means you will have to catch Pokemon somewhere else after 10 p.m.
• Thank you and please me mindful of your surroundings as you play.

To the north, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office shared an image that read "Don't Pokemon and Drive." Beneath the image they said, "We can't believe we have to post this."

AAA has equated Pokemon Go with texting and drinking while driving.

"Don’t text and drive, don’t drink and drive, don’t Pokémon Go and drive," AAA Mid-Atlantic warned in a press release Friday. "Playing Pokémon Go behind the wheel is just as dangerous as any other form of distracted driving."

The auto club also cautioned in their statement that distracted pedestrians are risking their safety and the safety of other road users when they take their eyes off the sidewalk and roads.

Distracted driving is responsible for the deaths of one out of every 10 drivers nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

AAA recommends that drivers put their cellphone in the glove compartment or trunk to avoid the temptation, and to download a safety app that will lock your phone while driving.

Image courtesy Monroe County Sheriff's Office.