A passenger’s iPhone has automatically alerted rescuers to a fatal crash in Nebraska that has been dubbed the “worst crash” in the area in some time. The iPhone 14’s new collision detection feature was triggered after a Honda Accord collided at about 2:15 a.m. local time in Lincoln, Nebraska.
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Unlike most Apple Watch accounts of heart problems, the story didn’t have a happy ending, with five of the car’s six passengers dying at the scene and a sixth later in hospital. However, she was taken to the hospital and had a chance of survival because of the iPhone’s collision detection feature.
Local police said there were no other vehicles involved at the time and no witnesses, according to the Associated Press.
“This is the worst car accident in Lincoln in recent memory,” said Lincoln Police Department Assistant Commissioner Michon Morrow. “The cause of this accident will take some time to determine. We are looking at all possibilities, including alcohol, speed or distracted driving.”
Police said the six victims were between the ages of 21 and 24.
This type of crash, without the help of eyewitnesses around, is exactly what Apple described when it launched its collision detection feature. “Almost half of the worst crashes occur in rural areas, and most involve just one vehicle,” said Apple’s Deirdre Caldbeck.
The collision detection feature on the iPhone and Apple Watch is meant to “help in situations like this,” she continued.
Plus, the Wall Street Journal shows that there are cases where collision detection doesn’t work. There could be a number of reasons for this, but it seems a key part is whether the car has been driven long enough for the iPhone’s sensors to sense that the owner is driving.