Tech Desk 
Aug 30, 2025
The life-saving potential of Apple's Crash Detection feature on iPhones has been brought to light by a dramatic incident.
Lindsay Leskovac, 16, fell asleep while driving late at night and was involved in a serious car accident.
She lost consciousness and suffered multiple fractures, including to her cervical spine and both legs.
However, her iPhone 14 recognised the crash on its own and called 911, bringing a rescue crew to the scene. Unaware of the Crash Detection feature, Lindsay's mother attributed her daughter's death to it.
"I was informed by the Fire and Rescue representative that 911 claimed the call was started by the phone," she stated.
"I thus investigated further to determine the precise caller and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
"I learnt that if you have an iPhone 14 or later and she has an iPhone 14, you can use the automatic Crash Detection feature as long as the setting is enabled."
In addition to the Apple Watch Series 8 or later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra or later with watchOS 9 or later, the feature is accessible on iPhone 14 or later models running iOS 16 or later.
Users can turn on the feature by going to Settings > Emergency SOS > Turning "Call After Severe Car Crash" ON.
Lindsay's mother emphasised the feature's potential to save lives in emergency situations and urged users to make sure it is enabled.
This incident demonstrates how crucial technology is for reacting to urgent circumstances and offering prompt assistance.
