Why do we feel safer with a GPS?

tourist-sign1

The past week I have once again confirmed my belief that a GPS is the perfect gift for a friend moving to a new location. I attended a few meetings and a party in Johannesburg and drove through areas where I have never been before. I simply had to ask for the street address, slot in the destination, and there we went!

I have found the following reasons about why we feel safer with a GPS:

1: You know where you’re going. Being lost and/or being distracted as you try to see street signs and get oriented is a significant and dangerous distraction. You are rarely lost with a GPS in use, and even if you miss a turn, the GPS will recalculate the route automatically and get you where you need to go with minimal stress and distraction. With a good quality GPS the recalculation takes place very fast!

2: You don’t need to deal with maps. Handling and reading maps while driving is a feat we have all attempted, but it’s a significant distraction. Even with a passenger doing the map reading and providing directions (this doesn’t always go smoothly, does it?), you are better off with GPS. Not all passengers are good at reading and interpreting maps…!

3: GPS improves night driving safety. One of the best features of in-car GPS is the fact that it gives you better road awareness at night and in low-visibility conditions. At night, and especially during bad-weather night driving, a GPS will tell you about, and show you an upcoming turn, ramp, etc. long before you can see it. On dark back roads, the GPS map will give you a preview of what’s ahead. With load shedding, electricity blackouts and theft of traffic signs and road directions night driving becomes more of a challenge.

4: You know which lane to be in. One of the challenges of driving unfamiliar and busy multi-lane highways is knowing which lane you’ll need for an upcoming exit. A good-quality text-to-voice GPS will tell you the correct lane well in advance.

5: Safety features, such as hands-free calling, special “help” buttons that show you the nearest police, hospital, garage, and more. These “special points on interest will improve your safety on the road!

On the Arrive Alive website we have made available a section of content on “Buying a GPS Device”