Satnav proving a danger: survey
Drivers take eyes off road to use it
Stop before use
But there’s a survey to back it up. Over one in ten drivers (11 per cent) have used the controls on their satellite navigation while driving, instead of programming their route before hitting the road. What's more, over half of these (53 per cent) admit that doing so meant that their eyes were taken off the road, leading to driving danger.
Nearly one in eight (13 per cent) of drivers who use a satellite navigation device while driving confess to not spending any time planning a route they are unfamiliar with prior to setting off, relying heavily on the equipment to get them to their destination.
Privilege’s boss Ian Parker said: "Privilege urges drivers to spend a few minutes planning their route on a map or Internet route finder so they can concentrate on the road once they set off. Drivers en-route should take a break every two hours anyway and so can use this time to check their location and the next section of the journey. Perhaps safest of all would be for drivers on an unknown route to take a passenger with them and allow them to navigate."
Watch the road!
Its not just misuse of satellite navigation systems that can be a danger to drivers, the Privilege Insurance research reveals. Almost one in four (22 per cent) drivers admitted to reading a map while driving in the last twelve months, with over a quarter of these (26 per cent) doing so at least once per month.
The majority of drivers using any form of navigational equipment while driving (75 per cent) spent up to 10 seconds doing so which, at 60mph, means the drivers would find themselves travelling twice the length of a football pitch without their full concentration on the road.
In fact for this reason the big manufacturers agreed not to have TV's playing in the front of vehicles above 5mph
I seem to recall it was thrown out, as it couldn't be legislated against as the arguement was that you could use your stereo whilst driving and that was just as much of a distraction...
Now, to be fair, there is a ford there but it's impassable for most of the year and there are numerous signs informing the drivers of this. Doesn't matter ... computer says 'go'.
J1mmyD said:
BBC2 yesterday gave the story of the little village that was regularly fishing cars out of their river because their sat nav tells the driver that there is a road there.
Now, to be fair, there is a ford there but it's impassable for most of the year and there are numerous signs informing the drivers of this. Doesn't matter ... computer says 'go'.
the amount of idiots on the road nowadays is really really scary 
cjbolter said:
Roughly half the drivers take their eyes off the road to look at their satnav !!. How do the other half do it ??.
Do you remember Marty Feldman ??.
CJ.
They listen to the voice bit of the Satnav (a well educated female voice in my case, and one that doesn't argue like the missus!). I can then choose when to take a quick glance at the screen, having done a 360 scan for hazards first. In my experience it is not necessary to take "eye off the ball" for anywhere near as long as it says in the report, and it is a LOT safer than being lost in unfamiliar surroundings or trying to sneak a quick look at the A-Z whilst driving.
I drive a lot to unfamiliar places with my job, and feel the SatNav has made it a LOT safer. But you do get to depend on them, and I now miss the fact there isn't one in the TVR!
I am sure a lot of the issue of taking eye off the road to look at the screen is about learning to spot hazards earlier, so you can choose the right time to look away. It is no more dangerous than adjusting the controls on the radio IMHO
Unlike the pictured system (which seems to be in the radio slot?) it is also on the dash top, so can be looked at whilst keeping "half an eye" on the road.
>> Edited by tvr_nut on Friday 21st April 17:12
The screens are incredibly bright, and you can see a car using them at night from a considerable distance back. I think this causes a fairly significant reduction in night vision having something so bright distracting you.
medicineman said:
richa re bright screens at night, almost all systems have a night mode but as per usual most people don't read the instructions.
I don't get on with the "night mode" at all for some reason.
Won't be long and it all will be on heads up displays in front of the driver.
qube_TA said:
Better to look at your satnav box than have an A3 map over the steering wheel whilst driving.
Never felt the need to buy one of these, how did folks find anywhere back in the dark ages of the 1990's?
Agree, on my little jaunts from Aberdeen to Windsor to see my daughter, I make up a little list, just with roads and junctions to turn off. Guess they are handy for folk who spend all day making drops all around the country though, what with all our new roads, one way systems etc, each to their own I guess.
I remember my brother driving through Kent once, his misses had the map, he said "I am looking for Threebridges", she said "We have just gone under two"!....
vipers said:
Never felt the need to buy one of these, how did folks find anywhere back in the dark ages of the 1990's?
By driving with the A-Z in one hand.
The numptiness of this story overwhelms me, though. I mean, what next?
SHOCK! HORROR! A SURVEY JUST OUT SHOWS THAT 90% OF MOTORISTS ADMIT TO TAKING THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO READ ROADSIGNS!!!
For gods sake...
>> Edited by heebeegeetee on Saturday 22 April 12:02
heebeegeetee said:
Never felt the need to buy one of these, how did folks find anywhere back in the dark ages of the 1990's?
By driving with the A-Z in one hand.
The numptiness of this story overwhelms me, though. I mean, what next?
SHOCK! HORROR! A SURVEY JUST OUT SHOWS THAT 90% OF MOTORISTS ADMIT TO TAKING THEIR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO READ ROADSIGNS!!!
For gods sake...
>> Edited by heebeegeetee on Saturday 22 April 12:02
Not guilty, qube_TA said it not me, but re your comment anyway, dont think a quick glance at a road sign, much like a glance in the mirror is quite the same as getting absorbed in your A to Z or the sat nav whilst driving, not that I have ever used a sat nav, but I "assume" they can kind of keep your attention longer than they should.
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