Sat Nav Positioning for Safety

Thoughtless positioning of sat nav devices on windscreens is posing a huge threat to road safety, says breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist. Today’s large screen devices positioned in the middle of a motorhome windscreen mean a potentially lethal reduction in driver visibility, especially on left hand bends and at junctions, GEM warns.  

GEM chief executive David Williams MBE comments: “Sat nav devices are great for relieving a lot of motoring stress. But if in the process you’re obscuring a vast swathe of your field of view, then you are taking a huge risk.

“A typical large screen sat nav device measuring nearly seven inches (17cm) wide by four inches (10.48cm) high has the potential to cause significant restrictions to a driver’s field of view, especially if it’s mounted in the centre of the windscreen below a large rear view mirror.

“A small screen device may seem to be only a minor obstruction from inside the motorhome. However, it has the potential to hide a much larger area outside the motorhome, depending on where you sit and the distance you are from it.

“Placing a sat nav right in the centre of the windscreen will block most of your nearside view, and will mean you miss all the hazards that might be there. This is particularly dangerous on left hand bends, at junctions and crossings, and in any locations where you may share the road space with cyclists and pedestrians.”

GEM has assembled some simple tips to ensure your view of the road is not obstructed by a poorly-positioned sat nav:

• Ensure you position your sat nav so that it won’t affect your view of the road and your ability to drive safely.
• The safest place for a sat nav is low down on your windscreen, and to the far right, to minimise obstruction of your field of view.
• If this is not possible, then it may be acceptable in the centre of the windscreen, but you should position it as low down as possible.
• Make sure you choose the right seat height and position to suit your individual shape and size before positioning your sat nav.
• Avoid fitting the sat nav to a location that could cause injury to a driver or passenger in a crash. This includes potential head strike zones on the windscreen, or other locations where deploying an airbag may contact them.
• Never fit the sat nav high up on the windscreen. As well as severely restricting vision, this could interfere with the rear view mirror and sun visors, and will require power cords to trail across the driver’s field of vision.

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