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Death by Pokémon GO: The Economic and Human Cost of Using Apps While Driving

Author

Listed:
  • Mara Faccio
  • John J. McConnell

Abstract

Using police accident reports for Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and exploiting the introduction of the augmented reality game Pokémon GO as a natural experiment, we document a disproportionate increase in crashes and associated vehicular damage, injuries, and fatalities in the vicinity of locations where users can play the game while driving. We estimate the incremental county-wide cost of users playing Pokémon GO while driving to be in the range of $5.2 to $25.5 million over the 148 days following the introduction of the game. Extrapolating these estimates to nation-wide levels yields a total ranging from $2.0 to $7.3 billion.

Suggested Citation

  • Mara Faccio & John J. McConnell, 2018. "Death by Pokémon GO: The Economic and Human Cost of Using Apps While Driving," NBER Working Papers 24308, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24308
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    Cited by:

    1. Hersh, Jonathan & Lang, Bree J. & Lang, Matthew, 2022. "Car accidents, smartphone adoption and 3G coverage," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 278-293.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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