North Carolina Family Sues Google For Guidance Error In Google Maps.

By Caroline Ameh

A North Carolina family is taking tech giant Google to court, alleging negligence on the part of Google Maps, which they claim led to a fatal accident resulting in the death of Philip Paxson, raising concerns about the accuracy and safety of GPS navigation systems.

Philip Paxson, aged 47 and a resident of Hickory, North Carolina, met a tragic end when his overturned pickup truck was discovered beneath a bridge that had collapsed almost a decade ago.

The accident occurred while Paxson was on his way home after celebrating his daughter’s ninth birthday as he turn on Google Maps for guidance through inclement weather conditions.

Shockingly, the bridge and the road leading to it lacked any barriers or warning signs, leaving drivers unaware of the impending danger.

The family alleges that Google Maps directed him down a concrete road that abruptly terminated at the collapsed bridge, leading to his vehicle plunging into a river. The family expressed their grief and frustration on social media, emphasizing that the accident could have been prevented.

Apart from Google, the lawsuit filed by the Paxson family also names several private property management companies responsible for the land surrounding the crash site. This legal action underscores the family’s quest for justice and accountability.

A spokesperson from Google responded to the lawsuit, expressing condolences for the Paxson family’s loss and reiterating the company’s commitment to providing accurate routing information through Google Maps. They confirmed that the case is currently under review.

The legal team representing the Paxson family alleges that concerned individuals had previously attempted to alert Google to the damaged bridge. They point to email correspondence from a Hickory resident in 2020 who used the “suggest an edit” feature to bring the issue to Google’s attention. However, the family’s lawyers claim that Google never responded to these alerts.

The case of Philip Paxson is not an isolated incident of GPS navigation mishaps leading to fatalities.
In 2020, an 18-year-old Russian motorist lost his life due to exposure after following a Google Maps route through the perilous “road of bones.”
Also, in 2019, a truck driver in Jakarta, Indonesia, drove off a cliff after mistakenly following a Google Maps route intended solely for motorcycles.

Similarly, in 2015, Zohra Hussain died in a fiery car accident in Indiana when her husband, relying on the car’s built-in GPS, drove off an unmarked toll road that led to a collapsed bridge. Her husband, Iftikhar Hussain, subsequently sued the state of Indiana for failing to provide proper warnings.