How to Read an Event Data Recorder Report
By Alison Sweeney | Jan. 22, 2025 | 6 min. read
What You Will Find Below:
- What is an EDR report?
- How to read pre-crash data
- Suspicious flags and loss indicators
When a crash is submitted to an insurance company, reviewing an Event Data Recorder (EDR) report is often a critical step in determining liability, verifying claims, and identifying potential fraud. However, an Electronic Crash Data report contains technical data that requires context and subject knowledge. This guide will break down the components of an EDR report, provide actionable insights, and help you read these reports effectively to make informed decisions.
What Is an EDR Report?
An Event Data Recorder (EDR), often referred to as a “black box,” is a device installed in most modern vehicles. It captures and stores critical data in the seconds leading up to, during, and sometimes after a crash. The EDR report contains detailed information about vehicle dynamics, occupant behavior, and crash circumstances that can help verify the events surrounding a collision.
Key Components of an EDR Report
An EDR report typically includes:
- Pre-Crash Data: Vehicle speed, brake application, and steering inputs.
- Crash Impact Data: Change in velocity (Delta-V) and g-forces experienced during the collision.
- Seatbelt Status: Whether occupants were wearing seatbelts.
- Ignition Cycles: The number of times the vehicle was started since the recorded crash.
- Diagnostic Scan Results: Identifying safety system activations or malfunctions.
Step 1: Verify the Report’s Authenticity
Before diving into the data, it’s crucial to ensure that the EDR report was extracted by an authorized technician using approved equipment. Reports from unauthorized sources may not be reliable, compromising the investigation and any potential litigation.
What to Look For:
Provider Credentials: Confirm the technician or organization is certified to extract EDR data.
Encrypted Data: Check that the data is securely transmitted to maintain its integrity.
Report Format: Ensure the report adheres to standardized formats that your organization accepts.
Step 2: Understand the Pre-Crash Data
Pre-crash data provides a snapshot of the vehicle’s activity leading up to the collision. This section of the report typically covers the 5 seconds before impact and can include:
Speed: Was the driver traveling within the speed limit?
Braking: Was the brake pedal engaged before the crash?
Steering Angle: Did the driver attempt to swerve or avoid the impact?
Analyzing pre-crash data can clarify whether the claimant’s version of events aligns with the recorded behavior. For example: If the claimant says they were stopped at a red light, but the EDR shows the vehicle was traveling at 15 mph before impact, this discrepancy raises questions.
Step 3: Interpret Crash Impact Data
Crash impact data includes Delta-V (change in velocity) and g-forces experienced during the collision. These metrics are crucial for assessing the severity of the crash.
What do these measurements mean?
Delta-V: A high Delta-V indicates a significant impact, potentially causing serious injuries or extensive vehicle damage.
G-Forces: G-forces can help determine the likelihood of injury to occupants.
This data helps adjusters assess whether the reported injuries are consistent with the crash severity. For instance, a low-speed collision with minimal Delta-V and g-forces may not align with claims of severe injuries.
Ignition Cycles
The number of ignition cycles recorded in the EDR report indicates how many times the vehicle has been started since the crash occurred.
Consistency with Claim Date: Does the reported date of loss match the ignition cycle count?
Potential Fraud Indicators: A large number of ignition cycles since the alleged crash date could indicate the claimant delayed reporting the accident.
For example, if the report shows 42 ignition cycles since the crash, but the claimant reported the accident as occurring two days ago, it’s worth investigating further.
Diagnostic Scans and Safety Features
The diagnostic scan section reveals whether safety systems like anti-lock brakes, traction control, or stability control were engaged or malfunctioned. These details can help adjusters understand if the crash resulted from driver behavior or mechanical issues, impacting liability decisions. A diagnostic scan can answer the following questions:
- Did any malfunctions contribute to the crash?
- Were all safety systems operating correctly?
Step 4: Review Seatbelt Usage and Occupant Safety
An EDR report often shows whether seatbelts were fastened at the time of the crash. This can affect different cases depending on the type of coverage that applies be that liability, PIP or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
The following are some key questions to ask yourself when analyzing an Event Data Retrieval report:
- Were all occupants wearing seatbelts?
- Did airbags deploy as expected?
This information can support or challenge claims related to injuries. Say the claimant alleges significant injuries but was not wearing a seatbelt, this could affect liability determinations.
EDR Flags and Loss Indicators
Many EDR reports include a summary of potential flags, such as low-speed impacts, unusual vehicle movements, or discrepancies in data. Here are some key red flags to look out for:
1. Speed and Braking Inconsistencies
Recorded vehicle speed at impact doesn’t match the driver’s account.
2. Steering and Throttle Activity
Lack of steering input before the crash, suggesting inattention or potentially fraudulent behavior.
3. Airbag and Seatbelt Deployment
Airbags deployed when damage appears minor, or not deployed in a supposedly severe crash. If the EDR report shows that seatbelts were not engaged, contradicting the drivers statement, that is good reason o further investigate the claim.
4. Pre-Crash Data
Evidence of aggressive driving, like sudden acceleration or braking, before the crash which indicates the accident might have been fabricated.
5. Timing Discrepancies
A huge fraud indicator is when the crash timing in the EDR doesn’t match the reported time of the incident.
Understanding how to read an Electronic Crash Data report is a critical tool for verifying claims, identifying fraud, and ensuring fair settlements. By breaking down each section of the report and correlating the data with the claimant’s statements, you can make more informed decisions while reducing risks for your organization.
Reading an EDR report may seem daunting at first, but with a systematic approach, adjusters can extract valuable insights from this data. From verifying crash details to identifying potential fraud, these reports are a powerful resource for making informed claims decisions. By mastering the art of interpreting EDR data, you can enhance your investigative capabilities and your outcomes for every claim.
When reviewing an EDR report you need to ask: Is the crash severe enough to justify the claims? Are there discrepancies between the claimant’s account and the data?
Connect with a member of our operations team to get answers to all your EDR questions right here or check out the rest of our auto accident blogs!
Check out our reliable sources:
https://www.cdse.edu/Portals/124/Documents/student-guides/IF107-guide.pdf?ver=Nwt64cjaJ4ygYpzwPpx4-g%3d%3d
https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/event-data-recorder