Do you own a GPS navigation device (called satnavs in the UK)? Have you ever gotten in trouble because of faulty directions or negligent driving owing to an over-reliance on the device? If so, you’re not alone. Far from it.

Let’s crunch the numbers from market research. Around 30% of motorists have gotten lost because of incorrect directions from their GPS navigator, while 20% have at least once blamed their GPS for making them hesitate on busy roads. One in every seven drivers made an illegal or dangerous maneuver in attempting to correct a mistake when blindly following the device’s instructions.

It’s indisputable that GPS navigation devices can be a priceless driving companion, especially when you would otherwise be driving around an unfamiliar area like a headless chicken, but it seems that many drivers place far too much faith in what is meant to be an assistive device. There are motorists who think that ownership of a GPS navigation system precludes them from having to watch the road or switch on their brains when behind the steering wheel. It just doesn’t work like that, folks.

The people at Southside Motor Factors (www.smf.ie) in the Irish capital city of Dublin put together this well-informed infographic on how to use your GPS in a safe and sensible manner. Motorists need to remember always that, any time they pilot a vehicle, they are solely responsible for their driving. If you get into a needless crash because you took your GPS device’s word as gospel, it’s your own fault 100%. Also, God gave you two eyes. Use them. If your GPS is trying to route you along a road that appears difficult, if not impossible, to navigate, apply common sense and take another route.

When programming a destination into your GPS, it’s up to you to decipher if it’s the correct one. There could be multiple destinations with the same name, and it’s not uncommon for a simple misspelling or oversight to prompt a driver to be misrouted by hundreds of miles. When typing a destination, double-check that it corresponds with where you intend to go.

Do you want to see even more vital GPS navigation usage tips? Would you like to know best to position a GPS device in your vehicle? Read the infographic to find out more.