Masterlease asks are we lost without Sat Nav?
Clive Forsythe, head of marketing and sales at Masterlease, looks at sat nav as both a help and hindrance to drivers and asks whether people are using their GPS system before using their common sense.
Top of gadget-lovers Christmas lists this year will surely be a satellite navigation system, if they haven’t already got one. Sat nav systems have become increasingly popular over the past few years, particularly as the gift to buy someone who has everything, and with the fantastic offers currently available on the high street it is the perfect time of year to snap up a bargain.
But have we become too reliant on sat nav? Whether it is trying to beat our time on a regular route in order to reduce the monotony of commuting, or slipping into the habit of programming every journey into the planner, no matter how well we know the route, sat nav is now a big part of our lives. However, could sat nav actually be erasing our inherent navigational skills, and is it actually more dangerous than reading a map whilst driving?
While physically reading a map en-route is distracting and not recommended, the audio options on sat nav can provide a driver with clear instructions without the need for map-reading. People are able to drive in a more relaxed way, safe in the knowledge that they are being guided through their journey, without constantly having to refer to a map. Or are they?
Many drivers are becoming so reliant on sat nav that they seem to be losing their inherent sense of direction and possibly common sense. Take for example the incident in 2007 where a Polish driver followed his sat nav into a lake. Police who attended this incident stated that the driver had such faith in his sat nav that he neglected to take note of the road signs warning that the road had been closed, after a water company flooded the valley to create a reservoir.
This extreme example highlights a trend for drivers to disregard all other external signals that contradict their sat navs. For example a Hampshire hamlet has erected signs telling drivers to ignore their sat nav, as faulty GPS programming directs HGVs down a small single lane in the countryside, which has resulted in several vehicles getting stranded. This trend can only get worse; with a whole generation growing up with sat nav who arguably won’t develop decent navigational skills.
Anecdotal evidence also suggests a tendency for people to use their sat nav as a means of entertainment whilst on long journeys, trying to beat their predicted time of arrival. This not only causes drivers to be distracted, but in several cases to break the speed limit in order to reduce their journey time.
Added to this there are legal considerations. Using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving has created great media attention, yet many drivers may not be aware that they are also liable to be prosecuted for editing the settings on their sat nav whilst in a moving vehicle, as this constitutes driving without due care and attention. Sat navs, which are a constant distraction in the eye-line of the driver, can also cause more confusion if it gives erroneous information. A study published earlier this year suggests that sat nav systems are responsible for over 300,000 crashes since GPS systems were introduced.
Fleet managers have a duty of care to ensure that their drivers are well informed of both driving offence outlines, and also general safety whilst in their vehicle. Corporate responsibility guidelines mean that this is not only in the best interests of the individual, but also of the company as a whole. Our advice to drivers is to programme their sat nav system before setting off, and to stay alert to external signs that may contradict the directions that they are being given.
There is no doubt that sat navs are useful and reliable most of the time, but drivers need to use their common sense when following the directions of their sat nav and not use them in isolation, ignoring all other external factors, such as good, old-fashioned road signs!
Top of gadget-lovers Christmas lists this year will surely be a satellite navigation system, if they haven’t already got one. Sat nav systems have become increasingly popular over the past few years, particularly as the gift to buy someone who has everything, and with the fantastic offers currently available on the high street it is the perfect time of year to snap up a bargain.
But have we become too reliant on sat nav? Whether it is trying to beat our time on a regular route in order to reduce the monotony of commuting, or slipping into the habit of programming every journey into the planner, no matter how well we know the route, sat nav is now a big part of our lives. However, could sat nav actually be erasing our inherent navigational skills, and is it actually more dangerous than reading a map whilst driving?
While physically reading a map en-route is distracting and not recommended, the audio options on sat nav can provide a driver with clear instructions without the need for map-reading. People are able to drive in a more relaxed way, safe in the knowledge that they are being guided through their journey, without constantly having to refer to a map. Or are they?
Many drivers are becoming so reliant on sat nav that they seem to be losing their inherent sense of direction and possibly common sense. Take for example the incident in 2007 where a Polish driver followed his sat nav into a lake. Police who attended this incident stated that the driver had such faith in his sat nav that he neglected to take note of the road signs warning that the road had been closed, after a water company flooded the valley to create a reservoir.
This extreme example highlights a trend for drivers to disregard all other external signals that contradict their sat navs. For example a Hampshire hamlet has erected signs telling drivers to ignore their sat nav, as faulty GPS programming directs HGVs down a small single lane in the countryside, which has resulted in several vehicles getting stranded. This trend can only get worse; with a whole generation growing up with sat nav who arguably won’t develop decent navigational skills.
Anecdotal evidence also suggests a tendency for people to use their sat nav as a means of entertainment whilst on long journeys, trying to beat their predicted time of arrival. This not only causes drivers to be distracted, but in several cases to break the speed limit in order to reduce their journey time.
Added to this there are legal considerations. Using a handheld mobile phone whilst driving has created great media attention, yet many drivers may not be aware that they are also liable to be prosecuted for editing the settings on their sat nav whilst in a moving vehicle, as this constitutes driving without due care and attention. Sat navs, which are a constant distraction in the eye-line of the driver, can also cause more confusion if it gives erroneous information. A study published earlier this year suggests that sat nav systems are responsible for over 300,000 crashes since GPS systems were introduced.
Fleet managers have a duty of care to ensure that their drivers are well informed of both driving offence outlines, and also general safety whilst in their vehicle. Corporate responsibility guidelines mean that this is not only in the best interests of the individual, but also of the company as a whole. Our advice to drivers is to programme their sat nav system before setting off, and to stay alert to external signs that may contradict the directions that they are being given.
There is no doubt that sat navs are useful and reliable most of the time, but drivers need to use their common sense when following the directions of their sat nav and not use them in isolation, ignoring all other external factors, such as good, old-fashioned road signs!
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