Accidents caused by GPS: How is liability handled?
Car Accident - May 6, 2025 by Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates
You may have seen news stories or TV shows where someone is so focused on what their GPS navigation system is telling them that they drive right into a lake or turn onto a one-way street. When you’re unfamiliar with a city, GPS can be useful, but who is at fault if you’re injured in a car accident while following GPS instructions?
Ultimately, the responsibility for where a vehicle goes rests with its driver, no matter what the GPS instructions say. Yet, you might face questions about who’s to blame that need experienced guidance. To untangle accidents caused by GPS and how liability is handled, you need a qualified Chicago car accident attorney on your side.
Does using a GPS while driving increase the chance of car accidents?
Unless used carefully, drivers who rely on GPS devices may be more likely to be involved in a car accident. Whether looking at a dashboard device or an app on a phone, using this technology provides visual distractions from what’s going on outside the vehicle. When someone looks at their phone or dashboard for even a few seconds, they could miss seeing the driver in front of them hitting their brakes, leading to a rear-end collision.
They may also be less focused on road signs, especially those that indicate lane shifts or detours. Even listening to the directions can cause distracted driving since their mental attention is on following the voice telling them where to go. When they obey the directions instead of practicing good driving behaviors, you could end up injured by a wrong-way driver on an Illinois highway.
Can a company that makes GPS devices be held liable for car accidents?
Although there are many instances where manufacturers can be held accountable for providing a defective product, claims against GPS data providers have not been historically successful. The information providers supply details, but it is up to motorists to use that information responsibly.
In 2010, a woman named Lauren Rosenberg tried to sue Google, Inc. because she was injured while following Google Maps directions that led her onto a highway with no sidewalks. She lost her case because the Utah District Court found that Google didn’t owe its users protection from their own negligence, such as trying to cross a road without looking for oncoming vehicles. Due to this precedent, holding a company liable for its GPS technology is unlikely.
Under this ruling, a GPS company that publishes information about roads and directions does not establish a duty of care to users, which is the first element needed to prove negligence against another party. Since motorists and pedestrians are responsible for their own safety and that of others on the road, the liability falls on those involved in car accidents, not GPS devices or their manufacturers.
What to do if you’re injured by someone who was following GPS directions
As with any crash, your first task is to call 911 and get medical assistance for anyone who is hurt. Exchange information with the other driver, tell the police what happened, and take photos of your personal injury and property damage. Contact your insurance company and then call a car accident attorney to understand what to do next.
The police may question the other driver and learn that they were distracted by a GPS device or their phone. Your accident lawyers can also interview witnesses and request phone or GPS device records to establish whether the driver was ignoring clear indicators that they were in the wrong. Your attorney can also use the evidence they gather during negotiations if they discover the other driver lied to the insurance company about using GPS or being distracted..
A common instance where a GPS device can lead to a collision is when a truck driver depends on the directions while driving an unfamiliar route. Again, the driver is responsible for managing their vehicle, but the damage and injury can be much greater when a large tractor-trailer goes the wrong way or turns into oncoming traffic.
Get help when you’ve been hurt in a car accident involving a driver distracted by GPS
All vehicles can be dangerous to others when their drivers don’t pay attention to the road. No matter what distraction caused someone else to hurt you, you have the right to seek compensation from their insurance company when you can demonstrate they were negligent. To do so successfully, it’s wise to hire a qualified car accident attorney to manage your case.
At Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates, we stand ready to collect evidence, file your claim, negotiate a fair settlement, and take your case to trial when needed. We offer free consultations to determine the strength of your claim and whether the statute of limitations has passed. If you’re hurt and need help, call (800) 985-1819 or use our online form today to arrange a case review with our personal injury attorneys in Chicago.
