Apple Watch Called for Help After User Got Into a Motorcycle Accident

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 30 September 2021, 02:09 pm

Apple Watch motorcycle driver in Singapore benefited from the device's feature after becoming a hit and run victim.

Apple Watch Saved a Life

The Apple Watch Series 4 and its successors are equipped with a fall detection feature. The feature notifies the user's emergency contact and local emergency services if the watch notices that you are unresponsive after it detects a fall.

The watch also gives you a bit of time to respond to the alert to let it know that you are okay. If you are knocked out or if you are not in a condition to turn off the alert, then the device will call for help, according to iMore.

That is what happened to Muhammad Fitri, who became unconscious after colliding with a van while riding his motorcycle. The accident, which was reported to be a hit-and-run, happened on Sept. 25.

Also Read: Top 3 Apple Watch Features to Save Your Life and How to Use Them: Fall Detection, ECG, and MORE

Fitri's watch had a fall detection feature, and it sent a Hard Fall SOS notification to his girlfriend, who is his emergency contact. It notified her of the accident while also giving her his location.

The Apple Watch automatically contacted emergency services, and an ambulance was sent to the accident scene.

In August, another Apple Watch user was saved by the device. Dan Pfau fainted and hit his head on the floor.

According to ABC, the 70-year-old is a retired administrative consultant, and he claimed that this is not the first time that his Apple Watch has saved him.

In 2019, Pfau was rescued from a bicycle accident after his watch called 911. He said that he woke up in an ambulance at the time without remembering what happened to him.

The report says that Pfau does not even remember calling 911 because he did not. The watch was the one that called 911. This is in reference to the fall detection feature that Apple introduced back in 2018.

However, this time, the incident faced by Pfau was scarier because of his history of sudden fainting spells, he ended up hitting his head on the hardwood floor, and he began bleeding.

Pfau felt pain and was not able to move. He then used the dictation feature on his watch to call his wife, who went home to help him.

Activating Fall Detection

The Apple Watch Series 4 and the higher models have a feature called Fall Detection. The feature uses the gyroscope and accelerometer to detect if the user has fallen and if the user can't get back up, according to 9to5Mac.

By default, the feature is disabled for users who are under the age of 65. To enable the feature, you need to open the Watch app on your iPhone.

Scroll down and select the Emergency SOS option. Apple warns that active users may trigger the feature even when they have not fallen because high-impact activities may appear as a fall when they are toggling on the Fall Detection feature.

Once you've selected the option and read the warning, you can tap on it to confirm. The feature can be turned off anytime if you change your mind.