Details of the story

Philip Paxson, a 47-year-old resident of Hickory, North Carolina, was returning home from his daughter’s ninth birthday party on the evening of September 30, 2022. According to the lawsuit filed on behalf of Paxson’s widow, Alicia, Google Maps directed him to the bridge that collapsed nearly a decade ago in 2013.

Due to the state of emergency, the bridge in question has been locally nicknamed the “Bridge to Nowhere”. The lawsuit alleges that Google Maps failed to warn Phillip Paxson of the dangerous condition of the bridge, resulting in him being forced to leave the bridge during bad weather.

When patrol officers arrived at the scene and discovered Mr. Paxson’s body, they noticed that there were no signs or barriers to warn drivers of the dangerous condition of the collapsed bridge.

Widow Paxson’s Facebook post about her husband’s death:

Google was aware of the problem with the bridge

Hickory residents had previously asked Google Maps to direct traffic away from the dangerous bridge, according to a press release from the law firm representing the Paxson family. In addition, bridge owners who were partners in the case were asked to install warning signs and barriers to prevent similar accidents.

The photo of the collapsed bridge taken after the incident / Photo: Phone Arena

Robert W. Zimmerman, one of the lawyers representing the Paxson family, expressed his concern about the situation.

For nine years, the Hickory community has been put at unnecessary and senseless risk by the collapse of a highway bridge. Despite repeated public demands, one of the world’s largest companies has refused to fix its mapping algorithms. Residents demanded that the road be repaired or barricaded appropriately to prevent injuries and deaths. Their demands remained unanswered.

Lawyers found that Google Maps had been misdirecting drivers to this dilapidated road for years, despite a public complaint demanding that Google mark the road as “Closed.”

The court filing states that Google finally updated Google Maps on October 10, 2022, on the advice of the family’s lawyers.

Google Maps has been directing drivers down a dangerous road for years / Photo: Phone Arena

This phenomenon is concerning because people rely on mapping and navigation apps on a daily basis, especially in low visibility situations. It reminds you to be careful when driving in unfamiliar areas and reiterates the importance of obtaining local information or contacting authorities when in doubt about road conditions.

The lawsuit filed against Google and other defendants aims to address failures to provide accurate and safe directions through mapping applications in the hope of preventing similar tragedies in the future.