The story, dated September 30, 2022, takes place in North Carolina in the United States and was reported by the Charlotte Observer and distributed in France by Courrier International.
The six meter high Snow Creek Bridge spans a river. Phil Paxson’s pickup truck plunged into the water and the man drowned. Barricades are usually erected to prevent motorists from using the bridge. However, according to local police, these barriers had just been removed after vandalism occurred.
Google Maps is accused of not updating its data
A year later, Phil Paxson’s widow filed a lawsuit against Google and its parent company Alphabet. The complaint alleges that Google ignored user warnings about the destroyed bridge and failed to update its maps and investigate user reports to maintain “safe and usable roads.” In April 2023, Google Maps still showed that the bridge was passable.
In addition, another complaint was filed against the authorities who had the duty and responsibility for maintaining the Snow Creek Bridge by replacing appropriate barriers and warning signs and lighting. As of September 20, 2023, according to lawyers, no repairs had been made to the bridge.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Paxson family. Our goal is to provide accurate driving information in Maps and we are reviewing this lawsuit,” the Google spokesperson told the Charlotte Observer.