While golfing legend Tiger Woods has told officials he doesn’t remember the rollover crash in Palos Verdes that left him hospitalized with serious leg injuries, investigators hope that the electronic data recorder or “black box” they have recovered from the SUV Woods was driving, can help provide valuable information about how the crash occurred. The Genesis GV80, like most modern trucks and cars, was equipped with an electronic data recorder and computer hardware to serve as a digital witness of sorts, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Information from the Black Box
Black boxes are part of a broader array of safety technology that is built into many newer vehicles. The Genesis SUV also has artificial intelligence software that keeps a watchful eye, sending alerts if it detects that the driver is distracted or dozing off while behind the wheel. Investigators are trying to understand what led Woods to lose control on a curvy highway on Feb. 23. The black box could provide vital information on how fast Woods was going, whether he hit the brakes, and other clues that could be important when it comes to reconstructing the accident.
Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villaneuva said investigators did a search warrant to secure the black box so they can go through it and see what was the performance of the vehicle, what was happening at the time of impact, and what caused the crash. Woods told investigators he didn’t remember the crash.
Woods underwent surgery at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center to have pins and rods inserted into his shattered lower right leg. Investigators did not seek a warrant to run toxicology reports, which are typically done to rule out the involvement of alcohol or drugs. Police said they did not observe anything to indicate that Woods was under the influence at the time. They said the golfer was calm and lucid right after the crash. At this time, they don’t suspect reckless driving either.
Critical Evidence
This report shows that there is much that can be learned from a vehicle’s electronic data recorder. It also shows the importance of preserving the vehicle after a car accident. These days, there is much more information that can be obtained from the vehicle. For example, a vehicle’s infotainment system may also provide a lot of information because when a driver gets behind the wheel, they typically synchronize their cell phone to the system. That means all of their texts, phone calls, camera data, and other personal data are stored in the vehicle.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, it is important that you contact an experienced California car accident lawyer who can, among other things, preserve evidence that can be critical to your case.
Source: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-05/tiger-woods-doesnt-remember-the-crash-that-hospitalized-him-but-the-suv-does
