A device and a method of detecting and preprocessing vehicle data, traffic data, and/or driver data, such as the speed, direction of travel, engine condition, weather conditions, heart rate, etc., is described, in which the time and location of recording the data are also recorded in addition to the data mentioned. The position determination may be accomplished in particular by a positioning system such as GPS. The position may be adjusted using a digital map. The recorded data is preferably preprocessed in real time, coded, and/or compressed and/or subjected to a statistical analysis, linked mathematically/logically and recorded and/or transmitted.