Apple Watch Dials 911, Saves New York Bicyclist’s Life After Horrific Crash

Apple Watch has proven to be a life saviour on many occasions. Many reports have shown how it saved lives by detecting abnormalities in users’ health using sensors that measure heart rate, ECG, and more.  In one such recent incident, Apple Watch saved a cyclist’s life in New York after he suffered a horrific bike accident. The incident happened last month when Eric Zollinger, a real estate broker, was riding a Citi Bike home from his office during a torrential downpour.

However, the commute took a serious turn when he encountered a hidden pothole submerged beneath floodwater. His bike hit the pothole, causing him to be thrown off his bike onto the pavement. Despite sustaining injuries to his nose, face, and knee, Mr Zollinger continued home but later collapsed, and passed out in his bathroom where he hit his body against the tub.

Fortunately, his Apple Watch detected the fall, automatically dialled 911 and alerted the emergency contacts of his location. Notably, the smartwatch has a built-in fall detection function, which connects the user to emergency services if it ”detects a hard fall.”

”The next thing I remember hearing is, ‘911, what’s your emergency?” Mr Zollinger said while recounting the incident. 

He then visited a local hospital to get an evaluation. Fortunately, scans showed that he had not sustained any broken bones and was later released.

Mr  Zollinger praised the smartwatch’s quick response and credits it for saving his life. ”I don’t know how things would have gone for me if the watch hadn’t alerted me,” he said, 

”I feel very fortunate and grateful at what transpired and happened in how my Apple Watch helped me. It’s a very clever watch. Apple thinks of everything,” Mr Zollinger added. 

Smartwatches have been instrumental in saving many lives. Last year, a 42-year-old man in the UK shared how a smartwatch helped him survive a heart attack. According to Express. co. uk, Paul Wapham, the CEO of Hockey Wales, was on his morning run near his home in the Morriston area of Swansea when he felt an acute pain in his chest. He somehow managed to contact his wife through his watch, who rushed him to the hospital. 

If Apple Watch detects you have remained motionless for one minute, an emergency call will be placed automatically and a message with your location will be sent to your emergency contacts.