State highway department: Get a designated driver while playing 'Pokemon Go'

The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has a message for “Pokemon Go” players questing to catch 'em all: Get a designated driver.

Danny Strassle, a spokesman for the department, said using the app distracts drivers, which equates it to texting while driving. The department is working on a social media campaign to combat drivers using the app, which Strassle said is set to debut next week.

“Pokemon Go” uses augmented reality. With the smartphone’s GPS feature, players can travel to real-world locations to virtually catch Pokemon, battle other players at gyms and gather supplies at Pokestops.

Some locations have fewer Pokemon than others, so some people drive to where they can play with more success, sometimes playing without leaving the car. Strassle said he and the department staff have seen some worrisome social media posts.

“They’re admitting that they’re doing this while driving,” he said.

He added that it’s fine if passengers in the car want to use the app as long as the driver is unimpaired. If drivers are dead-set on catching that Zubat or Charmander, Strassle said, they can give their phone to a friend in the car.

“Distracted driving continues to be at an all-time high, and that makes defensive driving these days a must,” he said.

On Tuesday, Little Rock police, Arkansas State Police and the Pulaski County sheriff’s office all reported that their agencies have not dealt with any Pokemon-related wrecks or crimes.

The app has exploded in popularity since its launch almost a week ago. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art dedicated a blog post to the Pokemon that visitors can find on its grounds.

Downtown Little Rock contains at least 10 Pokestops and several gyms.

The Historic Arkansas Museum at 200 East 3rd St. in Little Rock is a Pokestop on the app. Chris Hancock, a spokesman for the museum, said he didn’t know the site was a Pokestop but that it made sense after what he saw Tuesday morning. When he left to go run an errand, Hancock saw a man walking toward the museum, eyes glued to his phone as he raised and panned it around.

“I was like, ‘He’s gotta be playing that game,’” Hancock said.

Now that he knows his museum is a Pokestop, he said, there could be potential for a new promotion strategy.

Along with Crystal Bridges, some Arkansas organizations have used Twitter to alert the public of the Pokemon at their locations. The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, for instance, tweeted some Pokemon hot spots in the city, and the Park Plaza Mall let its followers know that its elevator is a gym on the app.

According to its Twitter account, the University of Central Arkansas in Conway has some Pokemon as well, which has drawn some extra foot traffic. Officer Michael Hooper with the university’s police department said officers have seen an increase in pedestrians on campus during these summer months.

He said one of his fellow officers downloaded the app and noted there were several Pokestops and gyms on or near campus. While there were no reports of any trespassing or wrongdoing because of the app, that did explain one thing.

“[There are] a lot more people with their heads in their phones,” Hooper said.