Woman who says she was hit by car in Utah claims Google provided unsafe walking directions

Woman sues Google over Utah walking directions

SALT LAKE CITY — A pedestrian who says she was injured by a motorist while following an online walking route has filed a lawsuit claiming Google Inc. supplied unsafe directions.

Lauren Rosenberg filed a lawsuit seeking more than $100,000 on Thursday in U.S. District Court in Utah. It also names a motorist she says hit her.

Rosenberg, a resident of Los Angeles County, says she used her phone in January to download walking directions from one end of Park City to the other.

Google Maps led her to walk on a busy road without sidewalks that was “not reasonably safe for pedestrians,” according to the lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles County resident.

“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,” the lawsuit states.

Rosenberg is seeking compensation for unspecified “severe” injuries and lost wages in addition to punitive damages. The lawsuit provided no further information on her age or residence.

Rosenberg couldn’t be reached Tuesday. Her attorneys, Allen and Tyler Young of Provo, did not return messages.

Google spokeswoman Diana Adair did not return messages from The Associated Press.

The court papers didn’t explain why Rosenberg walked along state Route 224 instead of choosing streets with sidewalks.

On its version for computers, Google Maps suggests one alternative for Rosenberg’s route. It also highlights a disclaimer: “Use caution — This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.”

The mobile version of Google Maps, however, does not come with that warning.