Police Use ‘Black Box’ Data to Investigate Car Crashes
Police in Ohio have used the event data recorders installed in newer vehicles in 43 accident investigations to determine culpability.
“As opposed to wondering what happened, this black box takes all the guessing out of it,” says Carmen Naso, an assistant prosecutor in Cuyahoga County.
These “black boxes” can provide information on speed at the time of an accident, throttle pressure, and whether the brake was applied and a seat belt worn.
Nearly 64 percent of all of last year’s car models have the equipment, unknown to many owners. However, automakers will be required to disclose the existence of the recorders in owner manuals starting with 2011 models.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) from Associated Press (11/26/06).