Traffic Apps Can Show the Road. They Can't Show Who Was Responsible.

Car Accident Apps Real-Time Traffic: What They Show and What Florida Law Says

By Igor Hernandez, CHG Personal Injury Lawyers, Florida

Car accident apps that show real-time traffic can show a slowdown, a closed lane, or a crash ahead. They cannot decide who caused a crash. In Florida, a crash report, the evidence, and the records of each case all help explain what happened. Whether a claim exists depends on the facts of each case, the medical records, and applicable Florida law.

Can a traffic app prove who caused a car accident in Florida?

No. A traffic app shows what traffic looked like at a moment in time. It does not show what a driver saw, how fast the driver was going, or whether the driver could have stopped in time.

Those questions matter in a crash claim. Screenshots and map data may be one piece of the evidence. They may not be the whole story. Your crash report, photos, witness information, and vehicle damage also play a role.

What real-time traffic apps can and cannot show

Traffic apps are useful for planning a route. They can flag a backup, a work zone, or a stalled car. That information may help you understand the road conditions around a crash.

Still, an app’s suggested route does not change your legal duties as a driver. Florida’s speed rules apply on every road, even when your phone says the highway is clear.

Florida’s speed rules still apply, even with a live map

The core Florida rule is about reasonable speed. Fla. Stat. § 316.183 says no person shall drive faster than is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and the hazards then existing. Speed must be controlled as needed to avoid colliding with any person, vehicle, or object.

Florida law also says that drivers shall drive at an appropriately reduced speed in certain situations. Those situations include approaching and crossing an intersection or railway crossing, going around a curve, approaching a hill crest, and traveling on a narrow or winding road. A special hazard from pedestrians, traffic, weather, or road conditions may also require slowing.

In a work zone, the statute says no driver shall exceed the posted maximum speed limit. Default limits also apply. Under the same statute, the general default speed limits are 30 miles per hour in business or residence districts and 55 miles per hour at other locations.

If you’re trying to understand how a crash happened, these speed rules are part of the legal picture.

The Florida crash report and crash-reporting requirements

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) traffic crash reports page covers Florida crash-reporting requirements.

Read that page for the current process. Requirements and procedures can change, so check the official source for your situation.

Rideshare trips and app records

Rideshare crashes raise extra questions about app data. Florida law addresses transportation network companies (TNCs), which use a digital network to connect riders with drivers, under Fla. Stat. § 627.748.

The statute also covers app status. On request by a directly interested party, a TNC driver must disclose whether they were logged on to the network or on a prearranged ride when the crash happened. In a claims coverage investigation, a TNC must provide the precise times the driver logged on and off in the 12 hours before and after the accident, upon request by a directly involved party or an insurer of the TNC driver.

These records can matter a great deal in a rideshare case. Our rideshare accident claims page explains more about these cases.

Insurance information and personal injury protection

Florida law also sets rules for insurance information. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.4137, an insurer that provides liability coverage must respond within 30 days to a claimant’s written request that contains the information the statute requires. The response is a sworn statement that lists the insurer’s name, each insured, the coverage limits, and any policy defense the insurer reasonably believes is available. The insurer must also provide a copy of the policy.

Personal injury protection (PIP) is a separate benefit. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, personal injury protection may provide up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits and a $5,000 death benefit, subject to conditions. Initial services must be received within 14 days after the accident, and medical benefits are limited to $2,500 unless a qualified provider determines that the person had an emergency medical condition. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, personal injury protection provides eighty percent of all reasonable expenses for medically necessary medical, surgical, X-ray, dental, and rehabilitative services, including prosthetic devices and medically necessary ambulance, hospital, and nursing services. Other conditions and exclusions in the statute also apply.

Keep in mind that PIP is an insurance benefit under the statute. It is not a fault determination against the other driver.

Comparative fault and the filing deadline

Florida uses a comparative fault rule. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, a court applies each party’s percentage of fault in negligence cases. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), in negligence cases filed after March 24, 2023, an injured person found to be more than 50 percent at fault for their own harm may be barred from recovering any damages. This bar does not apply to personal injury or wrongful death claims arising out of medical negligence under Chapter 766 of the Florida Statutes. Under Fla. Stat. § 768.81, contributory fault chargeable to the claimant proportionately diminishes the amount awarded as economic and noneconomic damages for an injury attributable to the claimant’s contributory fault.

Deadlines are also important. Under Fla. Stat. § 95.11, an action founded on negligence generally has a two-year period. For causes of action that accrued after March 24, 2023, the two-year period applies. Other periods, conditions, and exceptions may apply. Read more on our Florida personal injury deadlines page.

Mistakes that can complicate a crash claim

Certain habits may make a claim harder to prove. Be careful with these steps:

• Relying only on an app screenshot. A screenshot shows traffic at one moment. It does not show the whole crash.
• Waiting to request the crash report. Ask for it early, using the FLHSMV process.
• Posting about the crash online. Social media posts may be used by the other side, so think before you share.
• Delaying care. Follow your doctors’ advice and keep your records. Medical records can be central to an injury claim.

If you’re dealing with a crash in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, or anywhere else in Florida, these steps apply the same way. Our what to do after a car accident in Florida guide walks through them in order.

Frequently asked questions

Talk with CHG about your crash

If a crash has left you or a family member hurt, you may be sorting through app data, a crash report, and calls from insurers at the same time. You don’t have to handle those pieces alone. Contact CHG Personal Injury Lawyers to talk about your situation. CHG charges no attorney’s fees and no case costs unless there is a recovery.