Technology is advancing rapidly, and while it aims to make driving safer, sometimes it can also lead to accidents.
Features like blind spot monitoring, backup cameras, and lane-keeping assist are helpful, but they can fail or drivers may become overly reliant on them. Vehicles are also increasingly connected to the internet, cell service, GPS systems, and more – opening up possibilities for hacking, distractions from alerts and calls, and navigation errors.
If you’ve been in an accident and suspect a technological failure or distraction played a role, this guide will cover:
- Common technological causes of accidents
- Steps to take at the scene
- How to prove fault legally
- Getting maximum compensation for your injuries
We’ll help you understand where technology may be at fault and how to build the strongest case possible to recover costs.
Common Technological Causes of Accidents
While technology aims to make vehicles safer, it can also contribute to wrecks when it fails or creates distractions. Some common ways tech causes accidents include:
Sensor Errors
Many vehicles now come equipped with high-tech safety sensors to detect nearby objects/vehicles and automatically brake or steer to avoid collisions. Some common sensor technological issues leading to accidents:
- Blind spot monitor failures – These warn drivers if a vehicle is in their blind spot when changing lanes. But if faulty, drivers may believe the next lane is clear when it’s not.
- Backup camera defects – Small cracks in the lens or night vision settings can distort the view, causing drivers to back into objects they can’t see.
- Faulty proximity sensors – These detect close-by obstacles but may misjudge distance or not detect items like a small pedestrian. Giving drivers a false sense that it’s safe to proceed.
If sensors fail, drivers may not get warned about dangerous situations soon enough to prevent a collision.
Assisted Driving Aids Gone Wrong
Vehicles now have semi-autonomous features to help steer, change lanes, brake automatically, self-park, and more. Though useful, they have limitations:
- Lane-keeping defects – This gently steers back into the lane if you drift. But it can malfunction and jerk the wheel sharply, causing a loss of control.
- Adaptive cruise control faults – Designed to automatically brake/accelerate to keep pace with the flow of traffic. But if its camera/radar sensors fail, it may not slow down soon enough. Resulting in rear-end crashes.
- Automatic emergency braking failures – Uses sensors to detect impending collisions and brake automatically if the driver doesn’t respond in time. Defects can cause it to not activate when it should.
These systems don’t replace an alert driver. If too much reliance is placed on them, drivers may be distracted and fail to respond soon enough to prevent an accident if they malfunction.
Hacking & Electronic Defects
With vehicles increasingly computerized and connected to various networks, there are also risks associated with cybersecurity. Potential high-tech causes include:
- Hacked vehicles – Security experts have shown vehicles can be hacked remotely to disable brakes, steer into oncoming traffic, accelerate suddenly, and more.
- Navigation/mapping errors – Incorrect GPS data could lead vehicles astray, possibly directing cars off roads or toward dangerous areas.
- Electrical system defects – As vehicles add more safety technology, they demand a lot from the electrical system. Faults can lead to complete shutdowns of the engine, lights, airbags, and more.
- Cell phone app defects – Many apps now sync to vehicles to track location or monitor systems. But bugs may cause them to operate vehicle components incorrectly.
While rarer, hacked vehicles and electrical defects can be catastrophic if they occur and lead to loss of control.
Driver Distractions
Another major problem is distracted driving. While being hit by a distracted driver who was texting while driving is the most common cause of distracted driving that most people are aware of, vehicles becoming entertainment hubs with interactive dashboards/touchscreens, hands-free calling, and more, is just as common a cause of distracted driving.
Common distracting technology in vehicles includes:
- Infotainment centers – The touchscreens control music, navigation, climate, and more. But their complexity can distract drivers from the road for dangerously long periods trying to change settings.
- Connected cell phones – Hands-free calling allows drivers to talk without holding a phone, but the conversation itself is distracting. Text message alerts also tempt drivers to look at their phones when they come in.
- Noisy alert chimes – Safety features in vehicles now trigger audible alerts for issues detected. However, the constant chiming for minor issues creates noise pollution that draws focus away from driving.
While driving, if too much attention is placed on interacting with technology instead of focusing on the road, it slows reaction times and impacts driving ability, leading to accidents.
Steps to Take at the Accident Scene
If you suspect a vehicle defect or technology distraction contributed to your accident, there are key steps to take at the scene to help prove your case later:
Check on Other Parties Involved
First, check on the safety of your passengers and the occupants of other vehicles. Move to a safe location if possible and call 911 for medical assistance if anyone is injured.
Gather Evidence
- Take photos of damage to all vehicles, skid marks on the road, injuries/cuts (if possible), weather conditions, road hazards, traffic signs/signals, and more. Photograph any vehicle parts that may have malfunctioned.
- Get contact details and insurance information for all parties involved.
- Take videos walking around the accident site to capture angles photos can’t show. Provide commentary pointing out notable details.
- Take screenshots showing the time on any vehicle screens/devices if relevant.
- Request a copy of the police report once filed.
Locate Witnesses
Speak to eyewitnesses and get their contact information. Ask what they saw happen, noting any details about vehicle technologies they mention.
Thoroughly documenting the scene provides critical evidence to prove your case later.
Proving Vehicle Technology Fault
To hold vehicle manufacturers financially liable for an accident caused by a technology defect, you must prove:
A Defect Existed
Get the vehicle’s black box event data recorder downloaded. This computerized system logs sensor data/warnings, and the use of features like brakes, speed, and more in the seconds before a crash.
Present error logs from any vehicle software or apps if available. Bugs that caused inaccurate sensor readings, failed commands sent to vehicle components, overheating in key systems, etc. can demonstrate flaws.
Point out recognizable defects in vehicle parts photographed at the scene. For example, cracked camera lenses, severed electrical system wires, and warning lights that failed to activate.
The Defect Caused Your Accident
Correlate the evidence above to show how the exact technology failure led to the collision. For example, logs showed the blind spot monitor never warned the driver of your presence before they changed lanes into your car.
Present a clear sequence of events demonstrating how the defect created an unsafe situation that led to the wreck. Use witness testimony to back up the role vehicle technology played.
The Defect Existed Before Your Accident
Request maintenance records for the vehicle. If they show no previous issues detected with the flawed component(s), it makes a stronger case that the manufacturer is at fault.
Note the vehicle’s age and mileage. Defects happening despite relatively little wear and tear indicate a problem with initial quality.
Also, check if the vehicle or technology feature has been subject to any recalls. Similar defects triggering recalls in other cars can indicate a wider issue.
The Manufacturer Was Negligent
To win a lawsuit against the automaker, you must also prove all the elements of negligence with respect to their conduct.
Things that show legal responsibility for the accident include:
- Known failure to address similar defects from other drivers
- Poor design of overly complex technology features
- Lack of sufficient testing before release
- Failure to install safety overrides and redundancies
- Insufficient warnings/instructions given to drivers about feature limitations
Building a compelling case backed by evidence demonstrates that the vehicle technology should have worked better to prevent the crash.
Proving Driver Distraction Fault
If your accident involved another motorist focused on their vehicle’s touchscreen, cell phone, or alerts instead of driving, you can take legal action by proving:
The Driver Was Distracted
- Present phone records showing calls, texts, or app activity by the driver leading up to the accident time.
- Note the complexity of the vehicle’s dashboard tech if touchscreens were involved. More intricate infotainment centers require greater visual/manual interaction.
- Point out any audible alert chimes sounding right before the accident in-vehicle black box recordings.
The Distraction Prevented Due Diligence
- Show how the focus was diverted away from the safe operation of the vehicle. For example, visually staring at a screen, or conversing on a call instead of noticing traffic conditions.
- Note relevant signs, signals, pedestrians, etc. a diligent driver would have seen. Demonstrate the distraction prevented seeing these and responding safely.
The Lack of Diligence Directly Caused the Accident
- Paint a clear picture of how distraction led to the driver’s failure to prevent the collision. For example, they drifted lanes or ran a red light while looking away from the road and crashed into your vehicle.
- Present timeline evidence from the vehicle black box and witnesses showing distraction, then lack of response, followed by the accident.
The Driver Was Negligent
Ways to demonstrate legal responsibility for the crash caused by distraction include:
- Choosing to initiate non-driving critical tasks like phone calls or programming navigation after starting driving
- Failure to properly limit or disable notifications
- Operating infotainment/cell phone features requiring dangerously long glances away from the road
- Failure to pull over before engaging in complicated dashboard manipulation
Evidence that the motorist didn’t safely manage interactions with vehicle technology helps build negligence claims.
Getting Maximum Accident Compensation
The steps above help you prove vehicle technology defects or driver distractions caused your crash. But you also want to receive the maximum payout possible to cover all your losses. Things that help maximize compensation include:
Demonstrating All Damage/Harm Done
- Keep thorough records of medical bills, lost wages from missed work, property repairs, hospital stays, therapy, medication, etc. This demonstrates the full scope of what you’ve spent/lost from the accident.
- Get multiple medical opinions stating your long-term prognosis to show the complete future impact on your life.
Presenting Your Losses Empathetically
- Help claims assessors relate to your experience by providing photos of injuries, video/written diaries describing your struggles and pain, testimonials from loved ones, and more. This drives up settlement offers.
- Work with doctors to explain terminology like “loss of limb functionality” in simpler terms like “unable to pick up my child.” More emotional explanations elicit higher payouts.
Avoiding Potential Reductions
Things that could decrease your payout include:
- Gaps in medical treatment – Stick closely to all prescribed recovery programs.
- Pre-existing conditions – Disclose any upfront to avoid accusations you’re inflating unrelated prior injuries.
- Overly advanced/complex claims – Keep presentations simple and impactful.
Negotiating Persuasively
- Make reasonable initial demands that lay the foundation for give-and-take bargaining. Highball demands often result in no offers made at all.
- Time negotiations strategically based on factors like upcoming court deadlines or medical procedures adding new costs.
- Offer to forego certain smaller line items in exchange for higher amounts in key areas like lifetime care.
- Accept partially structured settlements today if they ensure sufficient coverage for future expenses later.
Carefully following these steps helps obtain the maximum possible out-of-court legal settlement or court award possible.
Conclusion
Advanced vehicle technology aims to make driving safer. But it can also contribute to accidents when defective or used irresponsibly by distracted drivers.
Understanding exactly how vehicle tech or distractions play a role in a crash makes it possible to prove liability and seek compensation for your damages. And taking actions like thoroughly documenting evidence at the scene, demonstrating how defects or distractions directly led to the collision, and skillfully negotiating your losses helps ensure you receive the maximum settlement or court award to recover from the incident.
