BRSA to gamers: Be vigilant!

POKEMON Go is the latest mobile game craze that has taken countries around the world by storm, including Barbados.

President of the Barbados Road Safety Association, Sharmaine Roland-Bowen, is urging local gamers to pay attention to their surroundings while playing the game, and for parents to monitor their children's activities.

Admitting that she is not au fait with the actual objective of the game, she said from what she has read and heard it is a form of distraction that could be potentially dangerous, not only for pedestrians, but also drivers.

“The pedestrian can cause collisions, whether it is themselves and a vehicle, or a vehicle trying to avoid them. So I would advise parents to monitor their children, especially the younger ones, and see that they don't endanger their lives or their safety or that of other persons, or to do it with caution.”

Several accidents have been reported abroad as a result of this augmented reality game, as players become engrossed in the virtual world and ignore hazards.

In fact, two days ago, a version update from developer Niantic was made available for Pokemon GO users on Android and iOS devices. The first change noted was the addition of a pop-up to remind Trainers that they should not play while travelling above a certain speed. Trainers must confirm they are not driving in order to continue playing.

Roland-Bowen also made a call for distracted-driving legislation, which she says with breathalyser testing, will go a long way in reducing the number of collisions and road fatalities on the highways and byways of Barbados. (JH)