It’s amazing — and sometimes troubling — what can happen when real and virtual worlds collide. The latest phenomenon, Pokemon GO, forces players to navigate both realms, but in doing so, some are straying off course and risking injury in their quest for “Pokeballs” and other rewards.

You’ve likely been under a rock if you haven’t seen Pokemon GO players, smartphone in hand, trekking through neighborhoods from one landmark to another — or “Pokestops” and “Gyms” — in search of cartoon monsters. Whether adolescents or adults, players’ eyes are glued to the screen as the location- aware smartphone game takes them to myriad locales — shopping malls, parks, restaurants and other random spots.

While it’s great that players are dispelling the usual “gamer” stereotypes (someone sitting on a couch with hands on a controller in front of a TV) by moving about and getting physical activity, many simply aren’t paying attention to their surroundings.

Their activity has prompted law-enforcement agencies, including the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), to issue warnings against playing the game while driving, and traveling alone to isolated areas, especially at night.

HPD spokeswoman Michelle Yu said players must look up while crossing streets or walking in parking lots, and cautioned not to stop in the middle of the street to catch a Pokemon. Common sense, folks.

Unfortunately, the virtual world cannot protect you from real-life hazards. There have been numerous reports of accidents, robberies and other mayhem as a result of players immersed in Pokemon GO.

In Encinitas, Calif., two men in their 20s were injured when they fell off a bluff while playing the game — one fell 75 to 100 feet while the other was found unconscious 50 feet down the bluff. In Missouri, a group of teens allegedly used the game to stake out robbery victims.

In addition to law-enforcement warnings, doctors are calling attention to distracted walking. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons issued a warning as part of its “Digital Deadwalker” campaign to urge smartphone-obsessed pedestrians to pay attention to traffic and other obstacles. A study by the organization found 4 out of 10 people in the U.S. have witnessed a “distracted walking incident.”

The game is a boon for businesses that are designated virtual Pokestops. Local restaurants and retailers are setting up in-game lures to attract customers with real money to spend on their items.

But in other areas, some people are requesting that Niantic, the game’s developer, exclude their locations. In Holyoke, Mass., a web designer whose home, an old church, was a “Gym” in Pokemon GO, asked the developers to adjust the GPS coordinates after obsessed visitors began to block his driveway and litter his property.

Rightly so, recreational gaming, such as Pokemon GO, is not permitted at any of the 134 national cemeteries. It’s disappointing that three teens on Tuesday thought it was appropriate to play the game at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Security stopped the teens and they left Punchbowl without incident.

Radji Tolentino, a local attorney, downloaded the app out of curiosity after hearing all the hype and noticing about 20 young adults playing Pokemon GO at Kapiolani Park. He’s seen a video of a girl who was hit by a car while playing, and she and her mother later blamed the incident on the game. “It’s about personal responsibility … The game itself is not dangerous,” Tolentino said. “It’s not taking over your mind. You still have to pay attention.”

For Pokemon GO fans, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Ash and Pikachu can’t come to your rescue if you’re injured in the real world.