Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Jed Boal ReportingA major snowstorm has moved out of northern Utah, but it left tons of wrecked cars in its wake. From yesterday morning through today, snow-packed roads and patches of black ice caused hundreds of car crashes along the Wasatch Front. Insurance companies are surveying the damage and sorting out an avalanche of claims.
That's not a simple job, but a Salt Lake company has developed technology that takes the guess work out of reconstructing a crash. A "Black Box" on board our cars could answer investigative questions and help improve driving.
We've all heard of "Black Boxes"; they tell us what happened on board a plane right before a crash. A Salt Lake company makes a simpler version for cars.
That 24-hour snowstorm packed a wallop, frustrated motorists, and kept state troopers scrambling. There were more than 500 reported crashes. Body shops and insurance companies tell us three times that number would be more accurate. Motorists do not report many one car crashes and fender-benders.
Insurance agents become investigators and don't always get the true story.
Luther Perkins, President, Independent Witness, Inc.: "With the crash data recorder, we have the capability of going in and reconstructing what occurred as a result of the accident."
Independent Witness Inc. sells a black box, objective evidence for those "he said, she said" situations.
Luther Perkins: "We know what type of force was experienced by the occupants of the vehicle. We also know the direction of impact."
With that information, an insurance company can determine whether a driver embellished claims of whiplash or other soft tissue injuries.
Luther Perkins: "We see this as an enormous tool for the insurance industry to more efficiently manage claims."
Fraudulent claims drive up all of our premiums.
Luther Perkins: "By putting an objective tool inside the vehicle, we have the ability to give real world information on exactly what happened."
They also developed a driver management system that acts like a coach or mentor to change driving behavior. It alerts the driver when he speeds, turns aggressively, brakes dangerously, or does not buckle up.
Luther Perkins: "We want to take those drivers that are at risk in a fleet, and we want to change their behavior from an at risk driver to a preferred driver, even in at risk environments."
Imagine detailed information on how your teens drive accessed on your computer. The company's clients today are primarily large fleet operators, companies that want accurate information about the way their employees drive.
The company also has a contract with NASCAR. The Independent witness is on board all race cars this weekend at the Daytona 500.
