Google Maps sued for issuing wrong directions

A woman in the US is suing Google because its Maps service gave her the wrong walking directions.

Lauren Rosenberg claims the directions caused her to get run over because they led her onto a busy highway.

The case, filed in the US District Court’s Central Division in Utah, will decide whether Google can be considered liable for the directions its mapping service gives users. Rosenberg is demanding US$100,000 from the company.

Rosenberg is also taking legal action against Patrick Harwood, the man who hit her.

The walking directions Rosenberg searched for on her Blackberry were from a 96 Daly Street, Park City, Utah to a 1710 Prospector Avenue, Park City, Utah.

Google clearly says on the route description that the “walking directions are in beta”.

“Use caution – This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths,” Google warns users.

Google added walking directions to its mapping services in July 2008, and also warned users then the product was still in development and should not be trusted fully.

But Rosenberg has ignored such information and is pursuing her case. She claims the directions led her into danger because she was instructed to walk along Deer Valley Road, which is another name for a rural highway with no safe pathway for pedestrians.

“The Defendant Google expects users of the walking map site to rely on the accuracy of the walking directions given,” said Rosenberg’s complaint filing.

“As a direct and proximate cause of Defendant Google’s careless, reckless and negligent providing of unsafe directions, Plaintiff Lauren Rosenberg was led onto a dangerous highway, and was thereby stricken by a motor vehicle, causing her to suffer sever permanent physical, emotional, and mental injuries, including pain and suffering,” it added.