A pedestrian in Park City, UT followed her downloaded Google map onto a four-lane road sans sidewalks. She was hit by a motorist before reaching the median. Lauren Rosenberg is seeking $100,000 in a federal lawsuit.
The article describing the January, night-time "motorist vs. pedestrian crash" on Deer Valley Drive does not indicate the extent of Ms. Sullivan's injuries or whether any citations were issued. Her suit is also directed against the motorist who hit her. Deer Valley Dr. is also known as Utah State Route 224.
"A lawsuit filed in a Utah District Court last week accused Google of being "careless, reckless, and negligent" in supplying unsafe walking directions. Rosenberg's lawyer said: "We think there's enough fault to go around, but Google had some responsibility to direct people correctly or warn them."
"Danny Sullivan on Search Engine Land points out that Google Maps' walking directions, which are still in beta, clearly show a warning: "Use caution - This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths". He also says: "I suspect a court is going to find that despite getting bad directions from Google (or a gas station attendant, a local person or any source), people are also expected to use common sense."
Rosenberg's attorney noted that "she was in an area that she'd never been to before. It was pitch black. There were no street lights. She relied on Google that she'd cross there and go down to a sidewalk."
Correspondent's notes: See photo on Guardian article of roadway; more photos, Google directions and maps appear on Search Engine Land.
Thanks to Palo Alto Daily Post
FULL STORY: Google sued over 'unsafe' map directions
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