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Black boxes from online car insurance firm may help accident investigation
It has been revealed that black boxes fitted in cars by an online car insurance company may help police to identify causes of car crashes.
The black boxes are being installed by Norwich Union for customers who have chosen their new "Pay as you Drive" motor insurance policy and are designed to measure the location and time of travel in the car. This allows the online car insurance provider to calculate made-to-measure motor insurance for each customer.
However, the black boxes can also provide information to police if the car is involved in an accident. Speeding and erratic driving throughout the journey and at the time of the crash can both be seen in the black box data, as well as details such as whether the vehicle was accelerating or decelerating.
Norwich Union is required to hand over this information to police if it is asked for and indeed has already done so in two cases.
A spokesman for the online car insurance provider said: "We have to provide the data if the police request it but only if it part of an investigation. It is only right for people who have been breaking the law and driving dangerously to be prosecuted.
"But we do not use the system ourselves to check speed and it is the insurer's job to pay out on claims regardless of liability."
The black boxes may also prove to be in a driver's favour if they are accused of a traffic offence that they are adamant they did not commit. Just as the police can request data from the car at the time of the crash, customers of Norwich Union will also be able to ask for information about their driving in order to help their case.
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