Should You Add Pokemon Go to Your Fleet Policy?
Fleet drivers need to be wary of increasing numbers of distracted Pokemon Go players on the streets. But, unless you have this clearly spelled out in your fleet safety policy, your company may be liable for gaming-related incidents involving your drivers.
Have you heard all the fuss over Pokemon Go yet? Chances are your children, coworkers and even your drivers are hooked. The augmented reality game has become an overnight sensation across the world.
Here's how it works: Using your smartphone GPS, camera and clock, the game prompts you to find “hidden" Pokemon characters that can pop on your screen view anywhere. Some “PokeStops" might be in your house; others can be two blocks down the road.
This addictive game has everyone walking — and sometimes even driving — around searching for more Pokemon.
The app has become wildly popular among millennials, who grew up playing the original Pokemon game. We can already see it affecting younger and older generations as well.
Like we've witnessed with most other internet fads, they calm down after a while. However, distracted driving is an epidemic causing major impact throughout the country. Adding Pokemon Go to the mix raises the stakes even higher.
Traffic accidents linked to Pokemon Go have recently been making headlines. Pedestrians have been injured because they crossed busy intersections and highways while looking down at the game. Even drivers have been involved in accidents, as they played while driving.
Fleet drivers need to be wary of increasing numbers of distracted Pokemon Go players on the streets. It also goes without saying they should not be playing Pokemon Go — or any other online game — while driving.
But, unless you have this clearly spelled out in your fleet safety policy, your company may be liable for gaming-related incidents involving your drivers. This leaves the door wide open for lawsuits and PR nightmares.
“While many companies are quickly coming up with policies for talking on the phone while driving, it's important not to limit your policy verbiage to only talking on the phone, but also for the use of apps," said Bob Krueger, director of safety at LeasePlan USA. “These include — but are not limited to — Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat, Instagram, LinkedIn or any game apps."
Think about your policy as it is today — would it protect your company from Pokemon Go?
Want to learn more about how to craft your safety policy with generations in mind? Register today for LeasePlan USA's webinar, “Safety and the Generational Gap," with safety experts Dan Shive and Bob Krueger.
More Safety

Top 50 Executive Fleets
It is that time of year again! Time for the 2026 list of the Top 50 Executive Fleets, presented by Automotive Fleet and Volvo as part of its annual Fleet 500. Download now to see this year's list of companies!
Read More →How Better Visibility Cut Speeding Violations by 48%
Fleet leaders don't need more data, they need clearer visibility into what the data is saying. This case study explores how one utility replaced speeding-event counts with a single metric — miles driven in violation — to strengthen safety and significantly reduce speeding violations.
Read More →
Operation Safe Driver Week: Why the Industry's Oldest Safety Campaign Still Matters to Fleets
A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.
Read More →
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →From Silos to Solutions: Relationship Management for Safer Fleets
From telematics adoption and driver accountability to policy consistency and risk mitigation, this episode breaks down what it really takes to build a safer fleet culture without slowing business down.
Read More →
IIHS Launches First Commercial Vehicle Safety Evaluations
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has begun evaluating heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans for driver protection. Which models earned top marks?
Read More →
Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel
Hosted with the cofounder of Lifesaver Mobile, this episode addresses phone use behind the wheel and how to design a driving environment that actually helps prevents accidents.
Read More →
Cameras, Safety and Insurance: From Reactive Claims to Real-Time Prevention (Part 2 of 2)
Part Two: Commercial auto remains one of the most challenging and costly lines of coverage for fleet operators and insurers alike. Continue learning more about how to effectively address these issues from Onur Aksan, Enterprise Business Development Executive, Geotab
Read More →
How 5-Second Telematics Data Is Changing Fleet Safety
This episode connects with Steve Santostasi of Ford Pro and covers how a few seconds of data can make a difference in fleet safety.
Read More →
The Two Biggest Summer Downtime Threats for Fleets
A conversation with a maintenance expert reveals the two most common summer maintenance pains and how to prevent them.
Read More →