What happens when car accidents caused by GPS happen? When a GPS or a driver-assistance system results in an accident, either the driver or the system’s manufacturer might be liable, depending on the nature of the collision and how it occurred. With a better understanding of the duties of drivers in these accidents and how GPS and semi-autonomous or self-driving cars operate, you can determine who is responsible for an accident and seek compensation from a liable party.
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For help with a car accident claim or lawsuit in Chicago, call Ankin Law at 312-600-0000 to schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney and discuss your legal options.
How GPS Navigation Errors Lead to Serious Car Accidents
According to a recent study, around 200,000 accidents occur every year in the U.S. involving GPS-related distractions. While distracted driving is a frequent cause of the four common types of car accidents and is often the fault of the driver, GPS devices might be incorrect to the point of leading even attentive drivers into dangerous situations, contributing to an accident.
For example, a GPS device might indicate that a driver needs to make a sudden turn onto a road in the wrong direction, and signage might not be present to indicate that the driver is going the wrong way, in which case the driver might wind up in a head-on collision without the chance to slow or stop.
However, typically, drivers have the responsibility of staying alert and observing their surroundings to mitigate the risk of GPS-related car crashes.
Driver-Assistance System Failures and Who’s Liable in a Crash
Many vehicles have an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) in place to help improve vehicle safety through various features. For example, an ADAS could help with:
- Vehicle proximity detection to prevent collisions
- Automatically adjusting speed to account for traffic with adaptive cruise control
- Alerting drivers to obstacles in the road
- Lane centering and indicating lane departure
- Warning of dangerous traffic conditions
- Blind spot detection
Many drivers rely on these systems to safely operate their vehicles, expecting the technology to perform as it should to help prevent accidents.
Sometimes, errors occur with these systems, and drivers may be unaware of them. These errors might not just prevent systems from detecting traffic or performing other functions; instead, they may cause unexpected braking and other behavior that leads to an accident.
Drivers must take control of vehicles when required and should not depend on these systems at all times, but manufacturers of ADAS systems could be liable if their products contain manufacturing or design defects that cause them to malfunction.
Self-Driving Car Accidents
In addition to ADAS systems in semi-autonomous vehicles, some drivers operate self-driving vehicles that take even more control over driving tasks. The prevalence of these vehicles is likely to increase in the years ahead.
Many errors can occur with self-driving vehicles, as they use a variety of software, sensors, GPS navigation tech, and cameras to function. For instance, software errors could lead a vehicle’s systems to miscommunicate and lead to an accident, while sensors might fail to detect other vehicles or pedestrians nearby.
Drivers must take full control over a self-driving vehicle when conditions warrant the intervention of a human operator, but manufacturers could be liable for an accident if a vehicle is entirely self-driving without the assistance of a human operator.
In addition to self-driving and semi-autonomous vehicle manufacturers, other parties bear driver-assist technology accident liability, such as vehicle owners, software developers, and companies behind a vehicle’s operation.
Why You Should Call a Car Accident Lawyer After a Tech-Related Collision
Following an accident involving GPS or driver-assistance technology errors, it’s important to be able to prove liability to recover total compensation from the parties responsible for the accident. In these cases, it can be especially difficult to prove that technological errors were behind an accident, requiring a good understanding of how driver negligence in car accidents is determined in court.
To increase your chances of succeeding with a case, reach out to a car accident lawyer in Chicago who can determine liability and seek total compensation. The following are ways an attorney could assist you with building a case:
Identifying Liable Parties
If a GPS navigation system, an ADAS, or a self-driving vehicle experiences an error that leads to an accident, connecting with a car accident lawyer for tech failure could make it easier to prove that the technology was responsible for the accident, and subsequently that the manufacturer was either solely liable or shared liability.
Collecting Evidence
To prove fault in a car accident, victims or their loved ones will need to collect as much relevant evidence as they can. There are many pieces of evidence that can go into these cases, such as data logs indicating software or other technological errors, surveillance footage of the accident site, police reports, and medical records showing that injuries resulted from the accident.
Negotiating With Insurers
You might wonder whether Illinois is a no-fault state, but the fact is that this state is a fault state, meaning that you would file a claim with the liable party’s insurance company rather than your own.
Manufacturers of GPS and driver-assistance technology are likely to have reliable insurance companies behind them. These companies could work hard to either reduce your compensation as much as possible or find a reason to deny your claim entirely. An attorney could conduct negotiations and argue for total compensation based on all damages resulting from the accident, holding manufacturers and other liable parties accountable.
Ultimately, it’s in your best interest to connect with a reputable attorney to learn about your options. At Ankin Law, our legal team is dedicated to providing clients with the best available representation in many types of car accident cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
