The Dangers of Overreliance on GPS Devices

GPS systems work wonders in helping car drivers, truckers, and others navigate the roads and highways of Illinois. There are dangers with relying too much on a GPS, though. Drivers who rely on looking at their GPS can easily become distracted. The driver’s focus can shift from looking at the traffic in front of him/her and responding to traffic emergencies, to looking at the GPS.

Drivers who use their hands to work the GPS device must remove their hands from the steering wheel, which can lead to accidents. Even drivers who rely on audio GPS sounds may become too focused on listening to their GPS device and not hear the horns and sounds of traffic about them.

Drivers who become distracted should be held accountable for any injuries and fatalities they cause when their car slams into another car, veers off the road, or causes any type of accident. Accountability includes compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills, lost income, scarring, and property damage.

Drivers should generally plan their trip before they get into their car, truck, or vehicle. GPS devices should be the backup navigation plan, not the primary one.

A few extreme examples of GPS-related crashes

There have been numerous cases – some comical, many disastrous – in which drivers have relied on GPS systems which led the drivers astray.

The New York Daily News reported these examples of unusual GPS accidents:

• Three Japanese riders, in 2012, found that their GPS device navigated them into mud and water while they were attempting to get to an island in Australia. The 21-year-old driver claimed the GPS “told us we could drive down there.”
• A charter bus driver drove his 12-foot high bus, carrying a high-school girls’ softball team, into a nine-foot bridge. The president of the charter bus company claimed that GPS has a bus mode, but the bus mode still led them into the bridge near Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle, Washington. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries to the students and coach – even though the brick bridge sheared off the top of the bus.
• One truck driver in Switzerland listened to his GPS, which led him down a walkway. His truck and cargo got stuck in a cherry tree. The driver failed to leave well enough alone and tried to back out of the tree “only to take out some street lamps and a hedge.”
• In South Brunswick, NJ, a man, who was driving with his family, relied on his GPS device which failed to alert him that his vehicle had run out of roadway. The driver crashed over a stop sign and plowed into a residence. His wife and daughter injured their heads and necks.

At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, our Chicago car accident lawyers handle all kinds of crashes, from rear-end collisions and head-on collisions to multi-car crashes and single-car accidents. We investigate all aspects of the car accident including driver distraction, violation of local traffic laws, and defective auto parts. To speak with a caring experienced car crash attorney, please call us at 312-600-9585 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We handle car accident claims on a contingency fee basis.