Satellite Navigation and Driving
Ten tips for sat nav safety
Across the world, driver distraction contributes to road accidents. Satellite navigation is just the latest cause as drivers are too easily seduced by the technology and adapt driving to suit the sat nav. This can lead to bad habits and blunders.
To coincide with UN Global Road Safety week 2007, AA Public Affairs has published a new guide to safe use of sat nav with the aim of highlighting common bad habits and providing advice to help balance the benefits of the technology against good driving practice.
Follow the tips below to get the most out of your sat nav and avoid trouble at the same time.
- You're driving, not the sat nav. You can't blame the sat nav if you commit an offence or have an accident. It's your fault.
- What you see must take priority over what the sat nav says. If the road looks wrong, don't take it. People have been marooned in fords, driven into rivers and down railways because their sat nav told them to.
- You know what you're driving, the sat nav probably doesn't. If you have a large vehicle, or a trailer, you can't be sure that the road is suitable for you just because the sat nav tells you to go down it. Watch for signs.
- Watch the road – not the sat nav. A sat nav can give all sorts of information about where you are going, much of which you don't need.
- Put the sat nav in a sensible place. It should be in your line of sight, but should not create a blind spot. Put it where it won't injure anyone in an accident.
- Don't try to programme the sat nav while driving. You know it will take one hand from the wheel, two eyes from the road and a brain from driving. Pull over to adjust settings.
- Use all the sat nav's features. On a complicated, busy roundabout, it is unwise to take your eyes off the road to look at the sat nav, and much better to receive spoken instructions. Some have features which show you a simple diagram of the road ahead and only need a quick glance.
- Check the route is practical before you start. Is the sat nav taking you to the right Farnborough? Hampshire, Warwickshire or Kent? If you put in the wrong destination, it will take you to the wrong destination. Does the route look right?
- Update the sat nav regularly. It needs to know about new roads, new one way systems and generally keep itself up to date.
- Remember, thieves like sat navs too. If it's detachable, always take it out when you leave the car. Thieves know that when people remove them they tend to keep them in the car, so mounts or suction cap marks also attract thieves.
