Using Caution With a Direction App When Driving
Many motorists depend on Google Maps and other apps to get directions to their destinations. Nevertheless, some people are led onto bad roads or to dangerous places by these maps. It is often difficult to determine who should be held responsible when something goes wrong and a serious injury accident occurs.
Directional Apps Can Endanger Those in Rural Areas
People using Google Maps or another directional app may end up causing dangerous conditions for those who live on rural roads and in small towns as the residents of Grayson, a small farming community in Stanislaus County, can tell you. Grayson is a small town of about 1,000 that suddenly faced a parade of traffic because of a Highway 132 accident. Motorists detouring through the town because of the accident had to take a not-so-safe rural road.
Big Businesses Locating in the Area Caused an Increase in Traffic
The detour hasn’t been the only problem in the area. With businesses such as Kohl’s and Amazon as well as warehouses for CBS Pharmacy opening up in the area, motorists attempt to avoid the heavy traffic by driving on two-lane rural roads. The problem is Google Maps and other apps direct a driver according to speed and distance and don’t mention the condition of the roadway.
Rural Route Traffic Ballooning Due to Google Map Directions
The increased traffic caused by Google Maps and others adversely affects roads and residents around Paradise, Shiloh and Grayson. According to the senior civil engineer for Stanislaus County, normal traffic growth is a maximum of 3 percent per year. However, at the West Grayson Road intersection with Laird Street, the traffic increased by 80.3 percent in less than five years. West Keyes Road, which is another bypass used by GPS users, saw increased traffic of almost 100 percent.
Injuries and Fatalities Increasing Drastically Along These Rural Roads
A much higher rate of motor vehicle collisions has come along with the increased traffic. In West Grayson, Shiloh, Carpenter and Paradise, there were 459 traffic accidents in the past five years. Most of these accidents occur either at intersections or when drivers are trying to pass another vehicle. On the roads going through these four communities, there were 692 injuries reported as well as 80 fatalities.
Apps to Direct Drivers Are a Big Problem Everywhere
According to the Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies, around one billion motorists use Google Maps and other driving apps to reach their destinations. Residents in residential areas complain that drivers are speeding through their neighborhoods while looking at their cellphones to find out where their next turn is. And it isn’t just a California problem; it’s a worldwide issue, whether the driver is using Google, Apple or Wave. There will probably be even more issues related to liability when something goes wrong with a map in the future self-driving cars such as Teslas, which depend on apps to give them directions.
Can the App Maker Be Held Liable in an Accident Injury?
Probably not. A traffic accident is just that, and the negligent party in a collision should be held responsible for any injuries or fatalities. If accident injuries occur, seeking the legal advice of a personal injury attorney can be helpful. However, it might be advisable to check out the unknown route you may be taking beforehand because it may get you to your destination faster, but it can also place you in a dangerous situation.
Modesto Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Modesto personal injury lawyer. When you’ve been injured, you can claim compensation for your medical costs, lost wages and pain and suffering from the negligent party. Call us at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 to schedule a free and friendly consultation with one of our injury lawyers. You can reach us online also.
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Photo attribution: Image by Hebi B. from Pixabay
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