GPS distress a road safety risk at Christmas
18/12/2009
As many families prepare to hit the road for the festive season SGIO is encouraging drivers not to let their GPS distract them while on the road.
New SGIO research reveals that nearly two thirds of drivers (59 per cent) blame their GPS for sometimes getting them lost*.
SGIO spokesperson Rob Cory advised drivers to avoid dangerous situations by resisting the urge to reprogram their GPS while driving.
“With many of us hitting the road over Christmas, we’re reminding drivers that if we think our GPS is giving the wrong directions, pull over in a safe place before reprogramming it,” he said.
“As we know, technology isn’t always 100 per cent accurate, but rather than pulling over and calmly reprogramming our GPS, one in four of us end up arguing over directions.”
Mr Cory said that these ‘carguments’ were most common among younger drivers (25 per cent) and could have something to do with our inability to trust technology completely.
“Almost half of drivers (41 per cent) don’t feel they can trust their GPS to always give them accurate directions,” he said.
“Whether this feeling is justified, or whether people simply think they know better than their GPS, is unknown. What we do know is that if you lose concentration while behind the wheel, even if it’s only for a second, the consequences can be serious.”
“Having a GPS can be a real comfort when you’re in an area you’re not familiar with, and it’s far safer than juggling a traditional road map while driving.”
“But if you know you’re prone to GPS distress, maybe it’s a good idea to take along a traditional road map as back up.”
* Based on attitudinal research carried out by Pure Profile in September 2009.