Police Report Finds Uber Safety Driver Streamed Show Before Fatal Crash
A newly released police report reveals that the Uber safety driver involved in a fatal self-driving car crash is streaming a television show on her phone. Authorities state that the tragic collision is entirely avoidable if the driver pays attention to the road.
Police in Tempe, Arizona release a 318-page report revealing that the safety driver behind the wheel of a self-driving Uber is streaming the television show "The Voice" on her phone right up until the moment of a fatal crash in March. The report indicates that driver Rafaela Vasquez looks down for 5.3 seconds and glances up just half a second before the vehicle strikes and kills 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg.
Authorities deem the tragic collision "entirely avoidable" if Vasquez maintains focus on the road instead of the Hulu stream. Although the Uber vehicle operates in autonomous mode at the time, the company requires backup drivers to intervene during tricky situations and strictly prohibits the use of mobile devices while the self-driving cars navigate public roads.
Police submit their findings to county prosecutors, meaning Vasquez potentially faces vehicle manslaughter charges for her role in the incident. The case moves to the Yavapai County Attorney's Office due to a conflict of interest, while Uber continues to conduct a top-to-bottom safety review following the devastating accident that heavily impacts the nascent self-driving industry.