Photo: Google/autoevolution edits
I said it before, and I'll say it again on every occasion: Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, you name it, every navigation app is a fantastic piece of software for each and every one of us. These solutions guide us to our destinations, making every second behind the wheel safer and more convenient.
But despite this great benefit, we should never, ever take everything they say for granted. The driver is responsible for their action, so they should always respect the law, pay attention to road signs, and ignore navigation apps if they offer suggestions that don't look right.
A 49-year-old woman from India followed Google Maps on a narrow road in Ashok Nagar, relying on the application for navigation guidance to Kodambakkam. She entered the narrow road without even paying attention to what was happening on the side, eventually running over a group of people who were sleeping in front of their house.
Five people were reportedly injured, and two were rushed to the hospital for urgent care. The group was sleeping outside because they attended a family event and no longer had enough room inside.
The driver didn't observe the people sleeping next to the road, and she even had an excuse for it: she was drunk. Blaming Google Maps for such an accident makes no sense, but when you add alcohol to the problem, it's all getting ten times worse. The driver was arrested.
While this is a terrible case that ended badly for everyone involved, the standard recommendation still applies. Maybe Google Maps wasn't necessarily at fault for the accident, as it's the driver's responsibility to drive safely on any type of road, but narrow streets in highly populated areas should be avoided, especially in the middle of the night.
Navigation apps have become double-edged swords when people misuse them. Authorities worldwide have started to erect signs to tell drivers to follow the road signage and ignore guidance offered by Google Maps and Apple Maps, as they often lead them to the wrong locations.
Unfortunately, many drivers still rely heavily on these applications, especially when driving in unfamiliar places. The same thing happens when drivers want to save a minute or two and arrive at their destinations faster.
Not long ago, a group of tourists returning from Las Vegas left the interstate to use a desert road suggested by Google Maps. After several hours of driving on unpaved roads, they returned to the highway, some with damaged cars. Google apologized for the blunder, but in reality, the drivers were the ones to blame for blindly trusting what the application said, especially when being told to leave the paved road and enter a dangerous path unsuitable for their cars.
A 49-year-old woman from India followed Google Maps on a narrow road in Ashok Nagar, relying on the application for navigation guidance to Kodambakkam. She entered the narrow road without even paying attention to what was happening on the side, eventually running over a group of people who were sleeping in front of their house.
Five people were reportedly injured, and two were rushed to the hospital for urgent care. The group was sleeping outside because they attended a family event and no longer had enough room inside.
The driver didn't observe the people sleeping next to the road, and she even had an excuse for it: she was drunk. Blaming Google Maps for such an accident makes no sense, but when you add alcohol to the problem, it's all getting ten times worse. The driver was arrested.
While this is a terrible case that ended badly for everyone involved, the standard recommendation still applies. Maybe Google Maps wasn't necessarily at fault for the accident, as it's the driver's responsibility to drive safely on any type of road, but narrow streets in highly populated areas should be avoided, especially in the middle of the night.
Navigation apps have become double-edged swords when people misuse them. Authorities worldwide have started to erect signs to tell drivers to follow the road signage and ignore guidance offered by Google Maps and Apple Maps, as they often lead them to the wrong locations.
Unfortunately, many drivers still rely heavily on these applications, especially when driving in unfamiliar places. The same thing happens when drivers want to save a minute or two and arrive at their destinations faster.
Not long ago, a group of tourists returning from Las Vegas left the interstate to use a desert road suggested by Google Maps. After several hours of driving on unpaved roads, they returned to the highway, some with damaged cars. Google apologized for the blunder, but in reality, the drivers were the ones to blame for blindly trusting what the application said, especially when being told to leave the paved road and enter a dangerous path unsuitable for their cars.
Google News