Using GPS navigation safely: plan the route, skip the sudden moves
Set up GPS before you drive and recover from a missed turn without risky moves
“In 300 feet, turn right.” You glance down and look up. The street is already sliding past. Almost every driver knows that moment. Your next decision matters far more than the turn you missed.
Navigation apps make unfamiliar trips less stressful, but they can also pull your eyes, hands and attention away from traffic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 3,208 people were killed and 315,167 were injured in distraction affected crashes in 2024 [1]. Those deaths were 8% of all U.S. traffic deaths that year. NHTSA notes that distraction is likely underreported in crash data [2].
This guide teaches GPS (global positioning system) navigation the way a driving instructor would, from route setup to missed turns.
Why entering a destination is the riskiest part
Setting up a route takes far more attention than following one. University of Utah researchers tested 30 model year 2017 vehicles for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Programming navigation was the most demanding task they measured, ahead of texting, calling and tuning the radio [3]. On a quiet residential road with a 25 mph limit, it took drivers about 40 seconds on average [3].
By simple calculation, a vehicle at 25 mph travels about 37 feet every second. So 40 seconds adds up to roughly 1,470 feet. At 45 mph, the same task would carry you about half a mile.
In a 2019 follow up study, drivers ages 55 to 75 averaged about 40 seconds to enter a destination [5]. Drivers ages 21 to 36 averaged about 31 seconds [5].
NHTSA’s voluntary guidelines for in vehicle devices say a task should need no glance longer than 2 seconds [6]. They also cap total eyes off road time at 12 seconds per task. They cite research linking glances over 2 seconds to higher crash and near crash risk [6]. At 55 mph, even one 2 second glance covers about 160 feet.
Preview the route before you shift into drive
Driving instructors teach that navigation starts in the driveway. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) also advises planning your route before you get behind the wheel [11]. First, confirm the city, street number and business name, since many places share a name. Hospitals, airports and malls often have several entrances, so choose the correct one.
Next, read the route itself, not just the arrival time. Note the first 3 turns and the hardest interchange, such as a left side exit or a short weaving lane shared by entering and exiting traffic [10]. Then study the last mile, including which side of the road the entrance is on and where you will park.
Select route options while parked, such as avoiding highways or tolls in Google Maps. Preview tricky spots in Street View photos [13]. For a newer driver, select the route that fits current skills, even if it means avoiding an unfamiliar highway. If cellular service may be weak, download an offline map of the entire route before you leave.
Set up voice and lane guidance so you listen instead of look
Spoken directions keep your eyes on the road, so adjust the settings before you move. In Google Maps, you can make guidance softer or louder. In many areas, the voice also names the lane to use before an exit or split [14]. That early notice leaves time for one calm lane change instead of a late scramble.
Voice commands also help. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) notes that drivers take shorter glances away from the road with voice commands than with their hands [7]. Still, in the 2017 AAA Foundation study, the visual benefit of voice commands was offset by longer interaction times [3]. Keep voice requests brief and related to driving. Save longer searches for when you are parked.
Mount the device where a glance is enough
Position the device close to your normal line of sight, so you can read it by moving only your eyes. Keep it clear of your view of the road, the mirrors, the gauges and the corners where pedestrians step out.
Your owner’s manual shows where air bags deploy, so keep any mount away from those areas. The device should sit within easy reach and hold steady over bumps. If it falls anyway, leave it alone until you are stopped. At night, dim the screen or use night mode so the glare does not pull your eyes off the dark road.
Drive the road, not the screen
This is the core habit, because the road tells you what you must do while the GPS only suggests what to do next. Driving instructors teach a simple order of priority: police and flaggers first, then signals, signs and pavement markings, then other traffic, and the GPS last.
Google’s own help pages remind drivers to obey real traffic laws and check posted signs as they go [13]. If the app says to turn left and a sign says No Left Turn, the sign wins.
Glance at the map the way you check a mirror: briefly, and then back to the road. If one glance does not answer your question, wait for the next voice prompt instead of looking again. A plain map view also helps, since NHTSA’s guidelines accept basic flat maps for directions but discourage unnecessary extras like satellite, photo like or three dimensional (3D) images [6].
Built in navigation vs. phone navigation
In a 2018 AAA Foundation study, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto created less workload than automakers’ own systems [4]. Entering a destination took about 48 seconds on the built in systems and about 33 seconds with phone projection [4]. That is faster, but 33 seconds is still far too long to spend while moving.
Do not treat a vehicle’s permission as a safety signal. In the 2017 study, none of the 30 vehicles had low overall demand. Yet most of those rated very high still allowed destination entry while moving [3].
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| What to check | Built in system | Phone app (on a mount or the car’s screen) |
|---|---|---|
| Map freshness | Ask how and when maps update; see the owner’s manual | Keep the app updated |
| Setup | Learn the menus at home before a long trip | Turn on a driving mode so texts and alerts stay quiet |
| Screen position | Fixed in the dash | Depends on where you mount it |
| Main risk | Hunting through menus and touch screens | Picking up or tapping the phone |
When the map is wrong
Map information can lag behind the real road, because construction shifts lanes, roads close for weather or repairs and new one way streets may not appear yet. In rural areas, a road on the map can turn out to be private, unpaved or a dead end.
At Death Valley National Park, the National Park Service warns visitors not to depend only on GPS. Its directions page says GPS errors have sent many visitors to the wrong location or onto closed and dead end roads [12]. The park urges travelers to carry current paper maps [12].
When the map and the road disagree:
- Closed road or barrier: Do not drive around it. Follow the detour signs and let the navigation app catch up.
- A turn against a sign: Skip it, because No Left Turn, One Way and Do Not Enter signs always win.
- Wrong Way signs at a ramp: You are facing an exit ramp, so do not enter. On a ramp headed the correct way, the yellow line is on your left and the white line on your right [10].
- A route over railroad tracks: Never turn onto tracks or stop on them. Cross only when there is room to clear the far side.
- Pavement turns to dirt or the road narrows: Stop in a safe location and review the route, because turning around is better than becoming stuck.
What to do after a missed turn or exit
Every driver misses turns. The real danger lies in a sudden attempt to fix the miss.
Pennsylvania’s driver’s manual says to take the next exit if you miss yours. It warns against backing up on a highway, swerving across lanes at the last moment and crossing the median [10]. FMCSA gives similar advice: drive past the missed turn, then look for a safe place to turn around [11].
When the app reroutes, take your time
After a miss, the app recalculates. Pop ups may offer a faster route partway through the trip, but you do not have to decide immediately. If your current route is still legal and safe, stay on it and let a passenger evaluate any new options.
Treat a spoken U-turn instruction as a suggestion, and wait for a legal, safe place. If the new directions seem odd, follow the signs and pull over somewhere safe to check.
Use a passenger as your navigator
A good navigator handles the screen so you do not have to. Before you leave, agree that one person, the navigator, will run the device, confirm the address and watch for parking.
Ask for one instruction at a time, given early, such as a heads up about a mile before an exit. A good navigator never pushes a last second move. If a turn comes up too fast, they say something like “skip it, we’ll reroute” instead.
Parents can read directions aloud, early and calmly. To build skill, skip a planned turn on purpose now and then. Let your teen follow the reroute without stress. If your teen has an intermediate license, review your state’s passenger limits before a friend serves as navigator.
When and where to pull over
Pull over when a change needs more than one tap or a short voice command, such as a new destination, a wrong address or a loose mount. FMCSA advises drivers to pull safely off the road or stop before using navigation technology [11].
Choose a parking lot, gas station or rest area. On a highway, wait for an exit rather than using the shoulder for routine changes. Before you pull back out, review the next 2 or 3 turns.
Tips for new drivers, older drivers and work drivers
New drivers and parents: Learn routes, not just arrows. A small 2020 study of 50 young adult drivers found that people who used GPS more had weaker spatial memory when finding their own way [15]. Treat it as a hint, and practice common routes together while naming landmarks.
Older drivers: Since destination entry took older drivers longer in AAA Foundation research [5], allow extra setup time while parked.
Work drivers and employers: Load the full stop list before the shift starts. Set a policy that no one reads new addresses while moving.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to use GPS while driving?
It depends on your state and how you use it. Many states that ban handheld phones still allow a mounted phone operated with a single tap or by voice [9]. Many states also ban all phone use by novice drivers [8].
What should I do if I miss my highway exit?
Stay in your lane, keep a steady speed and take the next exit [10]. Never back up, stop on the highway or cut across lanes to reach it.
Is Apple CarPlay or Android Auto safer than built in navigation?
In a 2018 AAA Foundation study, they created less workload than built in systems. But destination entry still took about 33 seconds [4]. Whichever system you use, set the route before you drive.
Can I type an address at a red light?
It is not a good idea, because your eyes are down when the light changes. In several states, the exemption for stopped vehicles covers only a vehicle that is lawfully parked or pulled off the road [9].
Should I trust GPS on rural or back roads?
Use it, but compare it with what you see. The National Park Service warns that GPS has directed travelers to dead end and closed roads [12]. Carry a paper or downloaded map as a backup.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Set the route before you move, let the voice do the talking and keep your eyes on the road. When the map and the road disagree, the road wins. When you miss a turn, let it go and let the app reroute, because arriving a few minutes late beats any sudden move.
Related articles
- Phone setup before driving: set it once, then drive distraction free
- Hands free, voice and touchscreen distraction: how to lower your risk
- Distracted driving laws by state: 2026 guide to phone and texting rules
- Merging and highway driving: how to enter, cruise and exit safely
- Lane changes and blind spots: a safe routine every driver can use
Sources and further reading
- 1National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Distracted Driving. No date shown; accessed October 2, 2026. nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
- 2NHTSA. Distracted Driving in 2024. Traffic Safety Facts Research Note, DOT HS 813 790. April 2026. crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/…/813790
- 3AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (Strayer DL, Cooper JM, et al., University of Utah). Visual and Cognitive Demands of Using In-Vehicle Information Systems. September 2017. aaafoundation.org/research/visual-cognitive-demands-using-vehicle-information-systems
- 4AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (Strayer DL, Cooper JM, et al.). Visual and Cognitive Demands of Using Apple’s CarPlay, Google’s Android Auto and Five Different OEM Infotainment Systems. June 2018. aaafoundation.org/research/visual-cognitive-demands-apples-carplay-googles-android-auto-oem-infotainment-systems
- 5AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (Cooper JM, Wheatley CL, et al.). Age-Related Differences in the Cognitive, Visual and Temporal Demands of In-Vehicle Information Systems. July 2019. aaafoundation.org/research/age-related-differences…
- 6NHTSA. Visual-Manual NHTSA Driver Distraction Guidelines for In-Vehicle Electronic Devices. Federal Register, Docket No. NHTSA-2010-0053. April 26, 2013. federalregister.gov/d/2013-09883
- 7Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Distracted driving (research area overview). Updated July 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/distracted-driving
- 8Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Distracted Driving (state laws). Last updated October 2025; laws reviewed June 2025. ghsa.org/state-laws-issues/distracted-driving
- 9IIHS. Electronic device laws (state table). October 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/distracted-driving/electronic-device-laws
- 10Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Negotiating Highways and Interchanges. Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual (online). No date shown; accessed October 2, 2026. pa.gov/…/negotiating-highways-and-interchanges
- 11Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). CMV Driving Tips: Unfamiliar Roadway. Last updated February 11, 2015. fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/driver-safety/cmv-driving-tips-unfamiliar-roadway
- 12National Park Service, Death Valley National Park. Directions. Last updated January 24, 2025. nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/directions.htm
- 13Google Maps Help. Get directions & show routes in Google Maps. Accessed October 2, 2026. support.google.com/maps/answer/144339
- 14Google Maps Help. Use navigation in Google Maps. Accessed October 2, 2026. support.google.com/maps/answer/3273406
- 15Dahmani L, Bohbot VD. Habitual use of GPS negatively impacts spatial memory during self-guided navigation. Scientific Reports, vol. 10, article 6310. April 14, 2020. nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62877-0
This article reflects the safety priorities of driver education. It is general education, not legal or professional advice for any individual. Laws, data, apps and vehicle features change, so verify details with official sources. Reviewed October 2026.
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