Editing Google Maps (section)

==== North America ====
In June 2019, Google Maps provided nearly 100 [[Colorado]] drivers an alternative route that led to a dirt road after a crash occurred on [[Peña Boulevard]]. The road had been turned to mud by rain, resulting in nearly 100 vehicles being trapped.<ref name="Lou-2019">{{Cite web |last=Lou |first=Michelle |date=2019-06-26 |title=Nearly 100 drivers followed a Google Maps detour – and ended up stuck in an empty field |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/26/us/google-maps-detour-colorado-trnd/index.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213234347/https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/26/us/google-maps-detour-colorado-trnd/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Al Jazeera-2023" /> Google said in a statement, "While we always work to provide the best directions, issues can arise due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather. We encourage all drivers to follow local laws, stay attentive, and use their best judgment while driving."<ref name="Lou-2019" />

In September 2023, Google was sued by a [[North Carolina]] resident who alleged that Google Maps had directed her husband over the Snow Creek Bridge in [[Hickory, North Carolina|Hickory]] the year prior, resulting in him drowning. According to the lawsuit, multiple people had notified Google about the state of the bridge, which collapsed in 2013, but Google had not updated the route information and continued to direct users over the bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=2023-09-21 |title=Google sued over fatal Google Maps error after man drove off broken bridge |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/lawsuit-says-man-died-after-google-maps-directed-him-over-collapsed-bridge/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=[[Ars Technica]] |language=en-us |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922163735/https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/09/lawsuit-says-man-died-after-google-maps-directed-him-over-collapsed-bridge/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=Jamiel |date=2023-09-21 |title=Family sues Google alleging its Maps app led father to drive off collapsed bridge to his death, attorneys say |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/us/father-death-google-gps-drive-off-bridge-lawsuit-north-carolina/index.html |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=January 25, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125084120/https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/us/father-death-google-gps-drive-off-bridge-lawsuit-north-carolina/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Al Jazeera-2023" /> At the time of the man's death, the barriers placed to block access to the bridge had been vandalized.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ritter |first=Moira |date=September 20, 2023 |title=Dad of 2 died after driving off collapsed bridge, family says. Now, Google being sued |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article279563759.html |access-date=January 25, 2024 |work=[[The Charlotte Observer]] |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118220946/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article279563759.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Matza |first=Max |date=2023-09-21 |title=Google accused of directing motorist to drive off collapsed bridge |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66873982 |access-date=2024-01-25 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120070521/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66873982 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2023, a hiker was rescued by helicopter on the backside of [[Mount Fromme]] in [[Vancouver]]. [[North Shore Rescue]] stated on its Facebook page that the hiker had followed a non-existent hiking trail on Google Maps. This was also the second hiker in two months to require rescuing after following the same trail. The fake trail has since been removed from the app.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Adam |date=2023-11-08 |title=A Hiker Is Lucky to Be Alive After Following a Fake Trail on Google Maps |url=https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/a-hiker-is-lucky-to-be-alive-after-following-a-fake-trail-on-google-maps/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110005235/https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/a-hiker-is-lucky-to-be-alive-after-following-a-fake-trail-on-google-maps/ |archive-date=November 10, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=[[Backpacker (magazine)|Backpacker]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Holpuch |first=Amanda |date=November 12, 2023 |title=Hikers Rescued After Following Nonexistent Trail on Google Maps |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/world/canada/google-maps-trail-british-columbia.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=January 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240110094932/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/12/world/canada/google-maps-trail-british-columbia.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Also in November 2023, Google apologized after users were directed through desert roads after parts of [[Interstate 15]] were closed due to a [[dust storm]].<ref name="Wilson-2023">{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Madeline |title=Google Maps Is Sorry for Sending L.A.-Bound Drivers on Nightmare Desert Detour |url=https://lamag.com/latravel/google-maps-sorry-for-sending-la-las-vegas-drivers-on-nightmare-desert-detour |access-date=November 29, 2023 |work=[[Los Angeles (magazine)|Los Angeles]] |date=November 29, 2023 |archive-date=December 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215221000/https://lamag.com/latravel/google-maps-sorry-for-sending-la-las-vegas-drivers-on-nightmare-desert-detour |url-status=live }}</ref> Drivers became stranded after following the suggested detour route, which was a "bumpy dirt trail".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wu |first1=Daniel |title=Google apologizes after map led drivers down dirt path into the desert |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/11/28/google-maps-desert-detour-california-vegas-formula-one/ |access-date=November 29, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 28, 2023 |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129010730/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/11/28/google-maps-desert-detour-california-vegas-formula-one/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Following the incident, Google stated that Google Maps would "no longer route drivers traveling between [[Las Vegas]] and [[Barstow, California|Barstow]] down through those roads."<ref name="Wilson-2023"/>