The introduction of black boxes in all cars produced after July 7 this year is set to revolutionize collision reconstruction. These black boxes, which are located in the airbag of the car, will record crucial data such as brake pressure, steering wheel angle, gas pedal usage, gear revolutions and the time of collision. The data recorded by the black box cannot be deactivated or installed after the fact, ensuring its accuracy.
Krunoslav Ormuž, a permanent court expert for traffic, emphasized the significance of these black boxes in determining the causes of traffic accidents. By analyzing the data collected, experts can understand the circumstances leading up to a collision, including actions taken by the driver and the vehicle. However, concerns have been raised about potential misuse of this data and there is a need for clear regulations on its use. Kristijan Tićak, editor-in-chief of Auto motor i sport magazine has stressed that legal provisions must be detailed to prevent any fraudulent activity related to black box data.
Before black boxes were introduced smartphones played a vital role in investigating traffic accidents. The data provided by smartphones such as movement speed and usage at the time of accident was often used by law enforcement to determine liability. Despite advancements in technology Ormuž has clarified that data collected by black boxes will not be used to monitor drivers’ behavior instead it will focus on analyzing specific incidents to aid accident reconstruction and determining responsibility accurately.