Distracted Driving Auto Accident Involving a GPS

While using your GPS is perfectly fine, you don’t want to end up in an accident.

As a modern driver, there is a good chance that you use GPS weekly, if not daily. This phenomenal piece of technology allows you to get instant, easy to follow commands in just seconds, rather than looking at physical maps or printing out step by step directions. Unfortunately, using your GPS has the potential to backfire.

Why People Love GPS

Some of the younger drivers in St. Louis don’t know what it was like to drive without GPS. Instead, all they are familiar with is the efficient process that it provides. All you need to do is have an internet connection and know where you’re going. Plug that destination in, and you’re on your way there with flawless directions. You can even have your system give you oral commands.

Better Than Maps and Print Outs

The procedure we described above is vastly different than it once was. About a decade ago, you would have to print your directions off of a website and follow them without real-time updates. Before the internet, you were working with either maps or memory. Both of those options can easily go wrong, while GPS typically does not. Using the latter technology gives you a remarkable amount of reliability where the methods of old do not.

How it Can Go Wrong

Unfortunately, GPS usage isn’t all positive. The reason is that is can be a source of distraction. While many people use voice commands to keep their eyes on the road, others do not, and instead frequently look away from what’s ahead of them. The biggest issue of all, though, is when GPS malfunctions. Whether the driver has to plug in a new address, restart the application, or carry out any other solution, that usually involves an extended period of distraction.

What You Can Do to Make Your Usage Safe

The good news is that there are two simple ways to make GPS as safe as possible. The first is using voice commands, which will keep your eyes off your phone, and instead, on the road. The second is not trying to problem solve in the middle of your trip. If things go wrong with your GPS, either pull over or let your passenger remedy the situation. Either way, you will keep your attention forward and prevent an accident.