TW: The article mentions graphic details about a severe car crash.
In a jaw-dropping incident, 16-year-old Lindsay Leskovac escaped death all because of an iPhone 14, which automatically called 911. The incident occurred on Aug. 2 in Hadley after Lindsay dropped off a friend, after which she suddenly fell asleep while driving and crashed her truck, as per her mother, Laura.
Unconscious and trapped inside the wreck, Lindsay was awakened by a 911 dispatcher speaking to her through the phone, her mother said. Thankfully, no one else was hurt. “She stayed on the line for 22 minutes,” Laura recalled. “She told them her name, our names, and they worked to track her down. She had veered far off the road.”
As per PEOPLE, Laura credits the iPhone’s crash detection feature, which automatically contacts emergency services after detecting a severe crash if a user does not respond to alerts. “Having this feature was what alerted them to her,” Laura says. “Otherwise, we would have gotten devastating news that our daughter was found dead out in a field somewhere. So we’re just so blessed.”
A rescue worker told the family that Lindsay might have bled to death if not for the phone’s automatic alert. Her injuries were quite serious as both femurs were broken, as well as her spine, neck, shoulder blade, right wrist, and left foot.
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“She was upside down in the car but thankfully wearing her seatbelt, so she wasn’t ejected,” Laura added. It’s going to be a long healing journey for the 16-year-old survivor, as she was released from the hospital over the Labour Day Weekend. Due to all the injuries, Lindsay won’t be able to be a part of her high school’s dance line as she has to undergo rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, she’s still happy and optimistic about her recovery. “She’s just so thankful to be alive,” her mother, Laura, said. “She knows she’ll miss out on some things, but she’s looking ahead to the future.” In addition, a GoFundMe page has already been set up and has raised over $18,000.
If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you have this feature that could save your life! https://t.co/PIuovpk4yM
— 99.7 DJX (@997DJX) September 4, 2025
Readers who are still curious about the crash detection feature on IOS must know that the feature, which was introduced in 2022, is available for people with models in the iPhone 14 lineup. It is also available on Apple Watch Series 8, Ultra, and 2nd-gen Watch SE.
Also, suppose a person does not have emergency contacts saved. In that case, the phone sends a message to share your location, let them know that you’ve been in a severe car crash.
The feature can be enabled by doing the following: Open the Settings app, scroll down to the Emergency SOS section, and an option titled “Call After Severe Crash” or “Crash Detection” will be available. This must be on.
Crash Detection on iPhone and Apple Watch is a feature we hope you’ll never need. But you can watch our video on YouTube to learn how it works: https://t.co/VKIXWPgmkh pic.twitter.com/Uf8dvd6pRK
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) April 25, 2023
This marvellous feature works because the iPhone 14 has a high-dynamic range gyroscope and a new dual-core accelerometer. Apple also built a fusion algorithm that’s trained on car accident data. These phones might be expensive, but they also come with high-end handy and safe features like a barometer, GPS, and a microphone on the phone to detect moments of an intense crash.
And, in case you are merely enjoying a hardcore physical activity or riding a skateboard. Yet, it accidentally detects the feature; all you have to do is tap the “I’m OK” button within 10 seconds to prevent emergency services from being contacted.
