Patent ID: 7129826

Claim:
A localized accident notification apparatus for a vehicle comprising: an accident detection system for determining at a time of the accident that an ignition switch of the vehicle is on and that there is an occupant in the vehicle, for detecting a) a tilt signal of the vehicle, wherein a tilt that is greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident, b) an air bag deployment signal wherein deployment of an airbag is an indication of an accident, and c) an accelerometer signal, wherein an acceleration greater than a predetermined limit is indicative of an accident; an external alert, system, wherein the external alert system controls the vehicle lights to flash and horn to sound in a predefined sequence when a crash is detected by the accident detection system; a controller coupled to the accident detection system and external alert system, wherein upon an indication of a crash from the accident detection system the controller directs the external alert system to provide an external alert; and a cellular device coupled to the controller to receive an indication of the crash from the controller to call for assistance.