A serious late-night car accident was averted thanks to the Crash Detection feature on an iPhone 14, which automatically called for help after a teenager lost consciousness. On October 5, 2023, 16-year-old Lindsay Leskovac fell asleep while driving home and crashed her truck, resulting in multiple fractures, including injuries to both legs and her cervical spine.
Upon detecting the impact, the iPhone initiated a call to 911, alerting emergency services to her location. This timely response is credited with potentially saving Leskovac’s life. Her mother, unaware of the Crash Detection feature, later learned about its capabilities from a first responder.
“The person from Fire and Rescue told me that 911 said the phone had initiated the call,” Lindsay’s mother explained. “I looked further into it to find out exactly who made the call and how it happened.” She discovered that the Crash Detection feature is available on all iPhone 14 models and later, as long as the relevant settings are enabled.
Lindsay’s mother emphasized the importance of activating this safety feature, stating that users can ensure it is turned on by navigating to Settings > Emergency SOS > toggling “Call After Severe Car Crash” to the ON position.
How Crash Detection Works
The Crash Detection feature is designed to detect severe car accidents using advanced sensors and algorithms. When an accident is detected, the device can automatically contact emergency services and provide them with the user’s location, which is crucial in situations where the driver may be incapacitated.
This feature is not limited to the iPhone. It is also available on the Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra models, provided they are running the appropriate software updates, such as watchOS 9 or later.
With the increasing number of automotive accidents, features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS are becoming vital tools for enhancing driver safety.
In light of this incident, users are encouraged to familiarize themselves with such features. As technology continues to evolve, ensuring that these safety functions are activated could make a significant difference in emergency situations.
In conclusion, Lindsay Leskovac’s experience serves as a powerful reminder of the potential life-saving capabilities embedded in modern technology. As more individuals adopt smartphones and smartwatches equipped with safety features, the hope is that fewer lives will be lost in preventable accidents.
