subject: Sat Navs – A Safety Hazard or a Savior? [print this page] A savior to many of the UK motorists, the sat-nav system has helped may directionless people find their way to their desired location. Most of us don't have a map in our head that directs us to our destination, so we've had to use maps and now sat-navs.
For a good few years now, sat-nav sales have been on the increase as they offer an easy and quick way to get from A to B. However, if misused or used incorrectly the sat-nav can become very quickly a danger to your safety.
Despite the fact that the sat-nav has been consistently improved with revolutionary technology, it has proven to be an increasing item of distraction in the car for quite a few drivers. For some, even a map has proven less of a distraction.
The insurance company, Privilege, completed a survey upon the effects of sat-nav usage and map usage upon driving. The results were astonishing! They found 11 percent of sat-nav users forgot to program their route beforehand and ended up programming the gadget in the car. 53% of these subjects admitted that unsafely using a sat-nav in this manner lead them to taking their eyes off the road for a prolonged period, which is a serious hazard and danger. The time scale of which drivers take their eyes off the road to peer at the sat-nav was around on average 10 seconds - far too long to be keeping your eyes off the road.
Maps were also found to be a danger, as an astonishing 22% of drivers admitted to reading a map whilst driving on the road at least once in a twelve month period. It was then found that 27% of these drivers did this on a frequent basis. Although reading a map whilst driving is certainly not safe, it was found by Privilege that you are more likely to get distracted on the road by a sat-nav than a map.
Satellite-Navigation systems can cause the driver to lose concentration on the road if not used appropriately, thus precautions before you use a sat-nav must be taken beforehand. Always plan your route beforehand (a sat-nav can take between 10 and 20 minutes to warm up) on the sat-nav and on a map. The latter is helpful because sat-navs can be unreliable at times and should not be used a sole journey planner. If using a map as well as a sat-nav, ask a passenger to direct you as this will make the trip far easier.
Satellite Navigation systems are without a doubt helpful, as they direct you to your destination in a much easier and faster manner than a map; however, they should not be solely relied on so always try to bring a map with you. Sat-navs can be a savior to the driver if used in the correct manner, but they made end up a hazard if used incorrectly.
