Life lost When GPS Goes Wrong, Google Map fails again.
The family of a North Carolina man is seeking justice after a fatal incident involving Google Maps. They argue that Google was negligent in its failure to update its navigation system, despite having prior knowledge of the collapsed bridge. This lawsuit aims to hold the tech giant accountable for the tragic loss of their loved one.
The lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court on Tuesday, reveals a tragic incident involving Philip Paxson, a medical device salesman and father of two.
On September 30, 2022, while driving home from his daughter’s ninth birthday party, Paxson’s Jeep Gladiator ended up in Snow Creek in Hickory. The incident occurred due to Google Maps allegedly guiding him across a bridge that had collapsed nine years prior and had never been repaired.
Alicia Paxson, Philip’s widow, expressed her struggle to explain her husband’s death to their daughters. She questions the actions of those responsible for the GPS directions and the bridge, wondering how they could show such disregard for human life.
Upon locating Paxton’s overturned and partially submerged truck, state troopers made a significant observation: there were no barriers or warning signs present along the washed-out roadway. According to the lawsuit, Paxton tragically drove off an unguarded edge, leading to a collision approximately 20 feet below.
According to the North Carolina State Patrol, the bridge had no maintenance oversight from local or state authorities, and the original developer’s company had ceased to exist. The lawsuit specifically targets several private property management companies, alleging their responsibility for both the bridge and the surrounding land and several individuals had informed Google Maps of the bridge collapse in the years prior to Paxson’s death, urging the company to update its route information.
Within the Tuesday court filing, email correspondence surfaces from a Hickory resident. In September 2020, this resident utilized the map’s “suggest an edit” feature to alert Google about the issue of directing drivers over the collapsed bridge. A November 2020 email confirmation from Google acknowledges the receipt of her report and indicates that the company was in the process of reviewing the suggested change. Nevertheless, the lawsuit contends that Google failed to take any subsequent actions.
Google spokesperson José Castañeda expressed deep sympathy for the Paxson family and clarified that Google’s primary objective is to furnish precise routing information through Maps. Furthermore, he noted that the company is actively assessing the lawsuit, underlining their commitment to resolving any issues.
