My Cell Phone Knows That I Am A Good Driver
We should all know by now that it is dangerous to use a smartphone while driving but what many people do not realize is how much our phones can tell us about why a car accident has occurred.
It should not come as a surprise to anyone that our cell phones collect many different types of electronically stored information. Any time we have a conversation by way of phone call, text message, or chat, we leave a digital footprint. When we use an app such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram our cell phone makes notes about how we browse the web and when. If we take our phone for a drive with us it keeps record of GPS coordinates which can help to later determine our route and rate of speed.
All of the data that is stored on a cell phone can be potentially relevant when investigating fault in a car accident. A cell phone can become the key witness to the possibility that its user was driving safely or while distracted.
For this reason, it is becoming more common for people injured in car accidents to immediately preserve the data on their phones. This can be done simply by placing the phone in “airplane mode” and turning it off as soon as calls to emergency responders have been completed. The inconvenience of temporarily losing access to your phone may be able to help avoid an argument over who was at fault.
Oatley Vigmond is Ontario’s Personal Injury Law Firm. If you have suffered injuries caused by a distracted smartphone user, we may be able to help.
