Blog

Latest Industry News

Tips When Using A Sat Nav

Sat Navs have become growingly popular over the years and are great little gadgets that make our journeys a lot easier.

However, there are some key tips you should remember when using a Sat Nav to prevent making mistakes or causing hazards.

Before setting off you should always double check the route that it has provided you with. Check that it is taking you to the correct location and that the route is practical and suitable.

Secondly, the position of the Sat Nav is very important. For instance, simply placing it on your lap can instantly add risk to your journey as you have to look down and take your eyes off the road to view it. You may only look away for a second but this is enough time for an accident to occur.

Place it in line of your sight so it is easy to see without causing a distraction to you while driving and ensure that it doesn’t limit your view of the road.

You should also consider where you position it to prevent the risk of injury to a passenger or yourself if an accident was to occur or if you need to brake suddenly.

Another distraction caused through using a Sat Nav is that people are easily tempted to program it and drive at the same time. Not only does this pull your eyes away from the road but also leaves you driving with one hand.

Instead of putting yourself and others at risk, you should always find a safe place to pull over and make any necessary adjustments when you are stationary and your attention is not required elsewhere.

Always remember that as advanced as they are, Sat Navs are still only computers and can still make mistakes so you should never put all of your trust into it.

A number of people have experienced misdirection issues that lead to you being directed to roads that are off limits, one way or not suitable for larger vehicles, so keep your eyes out for road signs to prevent making any unnecessary mistakes.

Reading road signs is also important when considering your speed. The reason for this being that some Sat Navs inform you of the speed limit but this is not always correct and blaming the Sat Nav after being pulled over for exceeding the limit is not a valid excuse.

It is also highly advisable to regularly update your Sat Nav as this will enable it to find any new road layouts or traffic systems, making your journey run a whole lot smoother.

Lastly, if you are able to detach the device from your vehicle, you should always take both the device and the mount out of the car with you to prevent attracting thieves.

We hope these tips help you to have a safe and enjoyable journey and if you ever have any queries please don’t hesitate to call us at Prestige Vehicle Repairs on 01708 868864.

Back to top