There can be many reasons why you may need to view car accidents that occurred within the past 24 hours. Perhaps you are curious to know if a road is still open. There can also be times when ongoing police activity (such as in the case of a severe accident) may cause traffic to be backed up for many hours after the event itself. You might even be concerned that a friend has made it home safely after a night out on the town. So, what online applications allow you to view past car accidents and what are a handful of features that each offers? Let us take a look at some of the most popular suggestions.
While this may be a bit obvious, a simple search query will normally provide optimal results. This is generally the best method if you are planning a trip or you do not have a dedicated application on your smartphone. In such a case, specifics are the key to retrieving the most relevant results. Some of the details that should be entered normally include:
An example of how this information can be used within a search field can be seen below:
"Car accident Long Island Expressway Exit 56"
We can see that the basic information was provided and it was specific enough to narrow a potential incident down to a certain location. If an accident did indeed occur, it is likely that search results will include news reports and similar details.
This first category is rather generic and yet, it is still worth mentioning. One of the issues with many live traffic accident reports is that while they provide real-time information, they are unable to offer data for past accidents within a 24-hour period. This is why websites such as www.flhsmv.gov (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) can come in handy. State-supervised portals report accidents only after they have been confirmed by police and highway troopers. So, those which occurred within the past day can often be viewed. Entering in the state (such as New York) followed by a term such as "traffic accidents" will normally provide a direct link.
We now enter into the world of smartphone applications. One of the benefits of these systems is that data is updated as it occurs. So, such systems are often used to plan routes and to avoid high-traffic areas. TomTom GO Mobile includes an accident reporting application. The current situation can be viewed within a few clicks while it is also possible to search for accidents that may have occurred within the past day (although this is more likely to display serious situations as opposed to the typical "fender bender").
This aptly named application supplies a wealth of traffic conditions alongside accident reports. One advantage of this system is that it provides data for 22 other countries besides the United States. So, it is a great option if you plan on taking a holiday and still want to keep up to date with any recent accidents. Information is compiled through official sources as well as from individual user entries. You can share this data with friends who have the application and specific regions (such as New York City) can be saved. Should any news emerge in regards to a past accident, you will be notified through an alert.
Mango is software that can be viewed via either a personal computer or a smartphone. You are able to perform a query with the help of a built-in virtual map or you can enter details into a search field (such as the ZIP code or the town). Both real-time and recent accidents will thereafter be displayed. However, please note that minor accidents or those which have been cleared within a 12-hour period may not display.
These are some of the most effective methods to discover an accident that may have recently occurred in the past.