Over the past decade, Google Maps has proven to be a helpful companion for those seeking directions and traffic avoidance. However, there have always been occasional instances where Google Maps provided incorrect directions, only for us to realize it later. Unfortunately, such a mishap led to the demise of Philip Paxson, who drove off a collapsed bridge following Google Maps’ guidance. Consequently, Google now faces a lawsuit for providing erroneous directions.
According to the lawsuit, Philip, 47, was returning home after celebrating his daughter’s ninth birthday party, and given the unfamiliar terrain, he turned to Google Maps for directions amid dark and rainy conditions. Unfortunately, the app directed him toward a bridge known locally as the “Bridge to Nowhere” for nearly a decade.
Residents warned Google about the bridge
When state troopers arrived at the scene and recovered Mr. Paxson’s body, they noted the absence of any signs or barriers warning drivers about the collapsed bridge. Furthermore, the fact that residents of Hickory, North Carolina, had made numerous attempts to contact Google Maps to reroute traffic away from the bridge and also reached out to the bridge’s owners (co-defendants in the lawsuit along with Google) to install necessary barriers, underscores the disregard for safety.
“We’ve discovered that Google Maps misdirected motorists like Mr. Paxson onto this collapsed road for years, despite receiving complaints from the public demanding that Google fix its map and directions to mark the road as CLOSED. Philip’s widow Alicia is adamant we do everything possible to obtain justice and make sure something like this tragic nightmare cannot happen to another family,” said Robert W. Zimmerman, an attorney representing the Paxson family.
What can we learn?
This tragic incident highlights the dangers of relying solely on navigation apps, especially in unfamiliar areas and adverse weather conditions. In such situations, it is advisable to contact locals or the local police department’s non-emergency number to inquire about road conditions.