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Road Traffic Accident Victim Sues Google over Faulty Directions

Google has been named in a road traffic accident claim in the United States. It has been claimed that Google Maps provided Lauren Rosenberg of Los Angeles, California, with dangerous walking directions while she was Park City, Utah.
The compensation claim is primarily against the driver of the car, but Google is also named in the lawsuit because it is alleged that Google Maps told her to walk along “Deer Valley Drive” – which happens to be State Route 224 and does not have a footpath. Google has defended itself by pointing out that the mobile version of Google Maps has a warning: ‘Walking directions (beta): Use caution’. Interestingly, the desktop/laptop version of the warning is more specific about the dangers of using Google Maps for walking directions and contains additional text: “Use caution–This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.”

This is the first known example of a mapping serving being named in a pedestrian accident claim. While it is clear that Google is not primarily responsible for the road traffic accident, the solicitors for injured party is claiming contributory negligence.