Philip Paxson’s family are suing the company over his death, alleging that Google negligently failed to show the bridge had fallen nine years earlier.
Mr Paxson died in September 2022 after attempting to drive over the damaged bridge in Hickory, North Carolina.
A spokesperson for Google said the company was reviewing the allegations.
The case was filed in civil court in Wake County on Tuesday.
Mr Paxson, a father of two, was driving home from his daughter’s ninth birthday party at a friend’s house and was in an unfamiliar neighbourhood at the time of his death, according to the family’s lawsuit.
His wife had driven his two daughters home earlier, and he stayed behind to help clean up.
“Unfamiliar with local roads, he relied on Google Maps, expecting it would safely direct him home to his wife and daughters,” lawyers for the family said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.
“Tragically, as he drove cautiously in the darkness and rain, he unsuspectingly followed Google’s outdated directions to what his family later learned for nearly a decade was called the ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ crashing into Snow Creek, where he drowned.”
Local residents had repeatedly contacted Google to have them change their online maps after the bridge collapsed in 2013, the suit claims.
After looking at the picture of the bridge in the article, it looks like it should have either been fixed or blocked by a large only moveable by heavy machinery barrier of some description.
What if someone was using a 15 year old paper map? Would they get to sue the cartographer?
What if the bridge had collapsed yesterday? Last week? As much as I don’t like Google, I don’t think they’re at fault here.A 15 year old paper map doesn’t have the ability to immediately update itself. I don’t think anybody things Google is primarily at fault, that doesn’t mean it should be ignored that they were informed of the dangerous issue numerous times, have the ability to correct it and routinely do so, and ignored the issue in this location which contributed to this death.
I completely agree, they should sue the local municipality, whoever is responsible for that bridge.
Local residents had repeatedly contacted Google to have them change their online maps after the bridge collapsed in 2013, the suit claims.
Barriers that were normally placed across the bridge entrance were missing due to vandalism, according to the Charlotte Observer.
The lawsuit is also suing three local companies, arguing they had a duty to maintain the bridge.
That’s a lot of fucking negligence.
I came here thinking it recently collapsed and Google Maps just never updated.
It collapsed a decade ago, and both Google Maps and local
maintainersorganizations (whoever maintains the roads) dropped the ball. You’d think someone would have built a wall blocking that road off by now[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]
I mean, the county and local authorities are supposed to keep the official maps of where the roads are up to date. That’s actually one of the responsibilities of local government.
Google isn’t going out and mapping all these roads, they’re 99% just aggregating the data from all the different jurisdictions and making sure they play nice with each other.
Google is not at fault here, not at all. If at all, Google is just responsible for a not fully up to date product, which could enrage consumers at worst. If that guy literally couldn’t see the road he also was unable to stop for an animal or even human.
It’s not Google’s responsibility to drive responsible for their users; drivers need to do so safely with or without help from maps of any kind.
If the false information had caused an emergency vehicle to be misguided which led to the death of the patient I would agree that Google is at some fault.Other than that, the companies responsible for caring about the bridge should be at fault here somewhat too, even though it’s not their responsibility to - again - ensure a driver can stop in time at their current speed and the given weather conditions. Yet they should mark a road as dead end and block the road as done at eg. natural cliffs where roads are ending, with proper material, so blocks of concrete stopping even tanks.
It is not uncommon to go over 20 at night, even in the rain.
This accident could have easily happened without a GPS, because it is a very bad location and has no warnings, however without a GPS it is also unlikely he would have found himself in this area, and it did lead him directly to a road that it had been told was not passable. They do not have a large part of the liability, but they should have a responsibility to warn their users when people have told them about an extreme safety hazard for ten years.
It’s not uncommon to speed, drink drive, etc, that doesn’t mean those things are right. There’s all sorts of obstacles that might end up on a regular road that you should be able to stop for. Fallen rocks, fallen trees, pedestrians, cyclists, parked cars, traffic tailbacks.
And remember, the bridge did have warnings, which happened to be removed by vandals. That’s not the city’s fault.
I am not a guy who blindly trusts technology. Why go forward when you cannot see what’s in front of you? How can that happen?
AFAIK Google makes a disclaimer about it. A bridge can also be destroyed on the same day, so…
Tragically, as he drove cautiously in the darkness and rain, he unsuspectingly followed Google’s outdated directions to what his family later learned for nearly a decade was called the ‘Bridge to Nowhere,’ crashing into Snow Creek, where he drowned
From the picture I could easily imagine myself falling into the hole if it was dark and rainy.
Presumably the road to the bridge would’ve been blocked off with signs and stuf? Is there any information about whether the signage was inadequate? Doesn’t excuse Google for but updating the map in almost a decade, but it seems either council or the driver have more responsibility here.
Barriers that were normally placed across the bridge entrance were missing due to vandalism, according to the Charlotte Observer.
I think more than one party can be at fault at the same time, but it also depends on the situation.
For example. Google maps kept taking rideshare drivers to the wrong entrance of my apartment complex. When I say “wrong,” I mean “nonexistent.” So multiple uber drivers were literally pulling over on the side of a busy street near a freeway on ramp with no bike lane or shoulder. They’d hit their flashers and stop in the middle of the road, blocking the on ramp lane. I’m in the actual parking lot, not tracking them in the app, so I don’t know they’re around the corner. I had two drivers just leave. Did they let me know they were going to cancel and drive away? Fuck no. The actual parking lot and driveway is only a few yards away. If they don’t pass right by it, they can at least see the driveway. I mean, come on. Use your brain.
After the first time this happened, I tried to move the pin in the app, but it just kept sending drivers to the same place. I started texting them after they accepted the ride, but not all would see it. I contacted google and the pickup spot did change - to a back entrance on the opposite side of the complex that has no parking lot or place to stop unless you have a gate opener. For fuck’s sake.
Anyway, it’s both of their faults.
Google Maps literally directs me to drive off a bridge all the time. How do I get that fixed?
Local residents had repeatedly contacted Google to have them change their online maps after the bridge collapsed in 2013
You don’t
Make a whiny opinion piece apparently lol
Based on the picture in the article, maybe just look at where you’re driving for once. If you can’t see far enough slow down.
Tho it’s definitely the street maintainers responsibility to put up enough warnings/barriers
So apparently the barriers were missing “due to vandalism” and it was raining heavily the night this happened.
I am a bit terrified of this. Sometimes when I’m driving at night I realize, to assume the road doesn’t end right over the next hill is to put full faith in the state. You have to trust your government to am extreme to go 70 mph over a hill you can’t see past. Some people in some places don’t have that luxury, and it won’t be like that forever anywhere.
Some people in some places don’t have that luxury, and it won’t be like that forever anywhere
You’re driving a several thousand kilogram death machine. The luxury you’re referring to is irresponsibility.
The ability to drive on a road and know it will be in front of you is called irresponsibility?
The entitlement to assume all roads are safe at all times even when you can’t see them is very irresponsible.
you’re telling me you slow down to 25mph on the freeway if you can’t see around the bend?
This is tragic. Is the bridge also marked on Open Street Maps?
On OSM all it takes is one person to delete that bridge if it isn’t there anymore. That is what is so great about wikis.
There was a minor map glitch in my neighborhood that kept directing people to my house instead of my friend’s house half a mile down the road, and it took me actual weeks of effort (persistent back and forth with them, repeatedly sending map screenshots and data from the county auditor, refusing to let my case get closed, etc) to get it corrected, which I had assumed was because it was a relatively small thing affecting a couple dozen people a year.
People fruitlessly asking them to fix a bridge out notice for 10 fucking years is horrifying.
I’m a local guide, they still routinely auto-reject mundane edits. I’ve added whole businesses, photos, hours, contact numbers and they reject them too. If I add them piecemeal they’re more likely to allow it. Their algorithm is awful.
Why do you perform free labour for a multibillion corporation?
This literally has nothing to do with Google. As shitty as Google is, it’s entirely the city and the driver’s fault.
Let’s get this straight.
Google publishes maps that are inaccurate. They were informed of the inaccuracies multiple times, yet did nothing. Subsequently, someone died following their incorrect maps that they couldn’t be bothered to fix — despite the fact that a fucked bridge is clearly potentially super dangerous.
And you think this has “literally nothing” to do with Google?
Are you a shareholder or something? That’s some hardcore corporate arse-kissing, imo.
Lol I think the driver with fucking eyeballs should see they’re driving off of a bridge. The maps on Google is literally irrelevant. Not once does your comment suggest they’re somehow a conscious human being that has eyes and should be looking where they drive.
Maps don’t have to be right for you to know that maybe you should actually look forward when you’re driving, but apparently expecting basic ass human autonomy is being a corporate share holder, what a joke. The driver is responsible for their safety, they’re the one’s controlling the vehicle. GPS navigation is a suggestion on where to go, not the final verdict which you for some reason think it is.
Lol I think the driver with fucking eyeballs should see they’re driving off of a bridge. The maps on Google is literally irrelevant. Not once does your comment suggest they’re somehow a conscious human being that has eyes and should be looking where they drive.
Maps don’t have to be right for you to know that maybe you should actually look forward when you’re driving, but apparently expecting basic ass human autonomy is being a corporate share holder, what a joke.
The driver is responsible for their safety, they’re the one’s controlling the vehicle. GPS navigation is a suggestion on where to go, not the final verdict which you for some reason think it is. Did you think the driver just saw the road, put his hands up and think, “Well shit, Maps says to drive off this cliff, I guess I have to!”
deleted by creator
When you are using any sort of navigation app, do you believe the navigation is the final verdict? That if it tells you to drive off a cliff that you have to? If you disagree, then you agree that it’s not Google Maps at fault here. That’s why that logic is dumb as hell. The maps provider is completely irrelevant, and so is the map being correct or not.
My Google Maps didn’t tell me that there was road under construction and to merge into a lane. So I guess I should’ve just gunned it and run everyone over then, makes sense.
deleted by creator
Yeah and that’s irrelevant. If a navigation app you you to drive off a bridge, would you? If no, then you agree I’m right lol. I don’t understand the mental gymnastics.
deleted by creator
You can keep thinking I’m simping for corps, but that makes literally no sense. The same would hold true if they were running OSMAnd~ or Organic Maps. Map provider is literally irrelevant.
They should also sue Rand Mcnally
I’d really be more concerned if Google was directing people to drive onto a collapsed bridge.
