Miraculous Rescue: iPhone Crash Detection Saves Driver from 330-Foot Plunge

A woman attributes her survival to the iPhone’s Crash Detection feature, which automatically contacted emergency services when her car careened off the road, tumbling 330 feet down a mountainside.

In June 2025, Natalia Sidorska, 32, lost control of her car while driving along Horseshoe Pass, a winding A road in Denbighshire, UK.

“I didn’t realize there was a sharp bend ahead, and by the time I did, it was too late,” she recalled.

After veering off the road, her car rolled down the mountainside and caught fire after she managed to escape. She held onto the steering wheel to avoid being thrown from the vehicle, with airbags deploying as the car tumbled down the mountain.

Upon coming to a stop, Natalia found herself trapped inside.

“I opened my eyes and realized I was alive but stuck underneath the back seat for some reason,” she said. “I tried to process what had happened and heard the fire crackling. That’s when I noticed the car was on fire.”

With injuries to her legs, Natalia struggled to open the doors. Feeling trapped, she contemplated falling asleep to avoid the impending flames.

However, she remembered locking the doors before the accident.

Unlocking the doors, she managed to crawl out of the wreckage just before the car exploded.

Thinking she was alone, Natalia was surprised when a rescue team and firefighters arrived about 20 minutes later, guided by her iPhone’s Crash Detection feature.

“I’m thankful to Apple for what the iPhone did,” she expressed. “I wouldn’t have received help so quickly otherwise.”

Despite the swift rescue, Natalia faced a long recovery journey, spending four months in the hospital and undergoing multiple surgeries for her ankle and spine injuries.

She had to have her talus bone removed due to an infection, resulting in lifelong disabilities.

Although the accident left lasting impacts, Natalia eventually returned to driving with a modified mobility car.

“It wasn’t the car’s fault. It was mine,” she acknowledged. “Regardless of your driving skills, always be cautious.”

Understanding Crash Detection

Crash Detection is a feature available on the iPhone 14 and Apple Watch Series 8, including the Apple Watch Ultra. It automatically calls emergency services in case of a severe crash.

In situations where a cellular Apple Watch is present without an iPhone nearby, the emergency call interface appears on the watch. However, if the iPhone is within range, the call is made through it for a stronger cellular connection.

If the user doesn’t respond to the device’s prompts within 20 seconds, emergency services are automatically contacted.

Crash Detection is enabled by default on supported iPhone and Apple Watch models, ensuring user protection unless manually turned off. Verify the feature status in the Settings app under Emergency SOS on the iPhone or SOS on the Apple Watch.