Victoria cyclist's smartwatch called 911 after collision with vehicle
CTV
A mangled bicycle and a smashed windshield point to the severity of the crash that sent a Victoria cyclist to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries on Monday.
A mangled bicycle and a smashed windshield point to the severity of the crash that sent a Victoria cyclist to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries on Monday.
But police say the cyclist's smartwatch called 911 after the collision with a vehicle at Bay Street and Government Street.
While this collision happened in a busy area, Victoria’s cycling coalition says wearable technology can be especially useful – and potentially lifesaving – in rural areas of the region.
"Response time is super vital for people if they’re injured," says Capital Bike chair member Corey Burger says. "It could be hours before you’re found."
Many smart devices like the Apple Watch have fall-detection features that trigger a call to an emergency contact or 911 when activated. They can also share the watch's location.
"Fall detection isn’t just a technology that athletes are interested in," says tech analyst Carmi Levy. "It’s a tech that senior citizens like my 80-something mom could benefit from… I literally bought my watch just because it had that capability, and I absolutely rely on it every time I leave the house."
He says one drawback is false positives. Maybe you bump into something or are a particularly passionate dancer. He says he sometimes finds himself looking at his wrist to make sure it hasn’t called 911.