Drivers Being Misled By Their Sat Navs

Sat Navs have a lot to answer for it seems as 83% of British drivers admit to being misled by them, even blaming car damage on them.

Research from Confused.com shows that Sat Navs have caused over £200 million worth of damage to drivers on UK roads as result of accidents caused by misleading directions.

Sat Navs that mislead is a growing problem – no doubt a key topic of discussion at the Department of Transports Sat Nav summit in March.

Far from helping with their journeys, 68% of drivers say they end up doing longer journeys and clock up unnecessary miles following the directions given.

45% of British drivers have confessed to feeling angry and frustrated while behind the wheel, which has lead to 31% of British motorists red faced, spending between £100 – £500 on Sat Nav related car damage.

If you come across a Sat nav blackspot you can enter it on the Confused map to alert other drivers and hopefully mean they won’t get quite as frustrated as perhaps you have.

As Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance at Confused.com, says: “As car insurance costs continue to rise,it’s never been more important to keep your motoring costs as low as possible.

“Our research has shown that the Sat Nav is not always the blessing it was once hailed to be and increasingly, motorists appear to be sighting the device as a source of frustration and danger!

“We hope that our Sat Nav blackspot map will not only help reduce risk, but we also hope that frustrated drivers get back behind the wheel a little happier.’

Impending Sat Nav legislation will mean manufacturers being told to update their maps more regularly to prevent the chaos caused by drivers being misdirected by their navigation systems.

The Government also hopes to tackle part of the misleading problem by giving councils the power to classify their own local roads, rather than leaving the decision to the Department for Transport in London.

MoneyHighStreet comments: “It is a fact that the cost of running a car is rising and people are looking for all sorts of ways to save money – getting angry with a  Sat Nav and causing costly damage to your car is clearly not the way to go.

One point to remember though when trying to save money, don’t just buy the cheapest car insurance (does that also apply to not buying the cheapest Sat Nav I wonder?) as this may not provide the best cover and you may end up spending out more in the end.

“There are steps you can take to help save money. For example if you are a young it might be beneficial to take out car insurance that is specifically designed for you. The Co-op for example have their Young Drivers insurance policy (find out more about it here) with which if you drive safely you qualify for Safer Driving Discounts to help reduce your premium.

“Also though as you look to get the best car insurance deal, carefully consider the cover you actually need. For example think about whether you need a courtesy car and what level of excess you are prepared to take.”