In a recent Houston wrong-way crash, a phone’s crash detection feature alerted the family of one of the drivers.
The alert provided real-time location information, allowing loved ones to reach the scene quickly.
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Crash detection is a vital safety feature available on select devices, including iPhones, Apple Watches, and Android smartphones like Google Pixel.
READ MORE: Here’s how you can use your cell phone, other smart devices to keep you safe
Compatible devices for crash detection:
- Apple: Available on iPhone 14 and later, Apple Watch Series 8, SE (2nd gen), and Ultra with updated software.
- Google: Enabled on Pixel smartphones with Activity Recognition technology.
- Samsung: Crash Detection is rolling out to Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold5.
Crash detection identifies severe car crashes, including front-impact, side-impact, rear-end collisions, and rollovers.
Once a crash is detected:
- Your device sounds an alarm and displays an alert.
- If you don’t dismiss the alert, it automatically contacts emergency services after a 20-second countdown.
- The device shares your location with responders and notifies your emergency contacts.
Apple devices also display a Medical ID slider for responders, while Google Pixel uses AI-powered recognition to distinguish crashes from other movements.
To activate crash detection on your device, follow these steps:
- Apple: Enable Emergency SOS and update your Medical ID in the Health app.
- Google: Activate Crash Detection via the Safety app.
- Samsung: New Galaxy devices include crash detection within their Safety features.
While effective, crash detection has limitations. It may not detect minor accidents or function without adequate cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.
Devices like Life360 also require specific settings like “Always On” location and motion activity enabled.