August 2007
Tips for safety and security
Portable GPS navigation systems can pose some safety and security concerns:
Theft. A portable system is easy to steal and attractive to thieves. Hide it well or take it with you when you leave the car.
Distraction. A navigation system can distract a driver from the road ahead with its visual instructions and map display. A system with good verbal directions will minimize your need to look at the screen.
Trying to program a navigation system while driving is a serious distraction and safety risk. To prevent this, many systems have a "lockout safety" feature, or "safe mode," that prevents you from doing it. Some systems let you switch this function off, which allows a passenger to use the system. But deactivation can undermine the intended safety function when being used only by a driver.
Crash safety. It is doubtful that a device secured by a suction cup would stay put in a crash. So there's a risk that someone could be hurt by a navigation system dislodged in a collision. Models that sit on a bean-bag mount aren't secured at all. Any system needs to be mounted out of an air bag's deployment path.
Bulk. All systems use an internal GPS antenna that must be placed near the windshield to pick up signals; that location also allows the display to be easily seen. While bigger systems can inhibit a driver's view of the road, they often offer an external antenna to allow the large screens to be placed lower down on the center console. A non-dashboard mounting location may require a special bracket and careful placement so that access to the audio and climate controls isn't blocked. For safety's sake, remember that a screen mounted too low or far away increases the time you need to take your eyes off the road when using it.
Theft. A portable system is easy to steal and attractive to thieves. Hide it well or take it with you when you leave the car.
Distraction. A navigation system can distract a driver from the road ahead with its visual instructions and map display. A system with good verbal directions will minimize your need to look at the screen.
Trying to program a navigation system while driving is a serious distraction and safety risk. To prevent this, many systems have a "lockout safety" feature, or "safe mode," that prevents you from doing it. Some systems let you switch this function off, which allows a passenger to use the system. But deactivation can undermine the intended safety function when being used only by a driver.
Crash safety. It is doubtful that a device secured by a suction cup would stay put in a crash. So there's a risk that someone could be hurt by a navigation system dislodged in a collision. Models that sit on a bean-bag mount aren't secured at all. Any system needs to be mounted out of an air bag's deployment path.
Bulk. All systems use an internal GPS antenna that must be placed near the windshield to pick up signals; that location also allows the display to be easily seen. While bigger systems can inhibit a driver's view of the road, they often offer an external antenna to allow the large screens to be placed lower down on the center console. A non-dashboard mounting location may require a special bracket and careful placement so that access to the audio and climate controls isn't blocked. For safety's sake, remember that a screen mounted too low or far away increases the time you need to take your eyes off the road when using it.
