Satellite navigation systems have been making driver’s lives easier for a couple of years now. Just plug in the postcode or the street name of where you want to go and voila your route will be calculated in no time. There is no need to spend hours poring over maps or trying to memorise hand written directions before your set off, your journey can now made be in relative ease. But these new advances in technology have their downsides as well, as more and more drivers come to rely on them. Recent research has shown that drivers are developing bad habits on the road to fit in with the directions given by their sat nav systems.
The news often has stories of people who have ended up driving into rivers or getting stuck in fields because they didn’t question whether the road they were being told to take looked right. In addition people sometimes forget that their sat nav isn’t aware of the type of vehicle that they are driving. Those towing trailers or driving larger cars need to be more vigilant about the types of roads they are being told to drive down. Some routes won’t be suitable for these types of vehicles and you could end up in some tricky situations. Keeping an eye out for road signs and knowing the limitations of your vehicle will help you avoid these situations and it is also good practice to check that the route the sat nav provides looks suitable before you set off.
Even if you do check the route before you start it is essential to keep your full concentration on the road as you are driving. Sat navs can become an easy distraction as they provide so much information in eye catching colours. Not all of this information will be relevant to your trip, so try and avoid focusing on it too much. In addition you should ensure that the sat nav is placed in a good location in the car, where it can be easily seen without causing any blind spots. It should also be well secured so that it will not come loose and hurt anyone if you were involved in an accident. In line with keeping your concentration on the road you should never try and program the sat nav whilst you are driving. Always program the sat nav before you start your journey or find a safe space to pull over if you feel you need to alter any of the settings.
Remember too that sat navs can cause problems even when they are not in use. They are still highly valuable pieces of equipment and are coveted by thieves so leaving your system in view when you have parked the car could lead to robberies. In this situation not only could you lose your sat nav but you could also end up losing your no claims bonus with your motor insurance and face a hefty repair bill. So while there is no doubt that satellite navigation systems are making driver’s lives easier, they could just as easily make them more difficult too.
Loading ...
