![]()
According to reports in the Herald Sun, GPS units are sending unsuspecting motorists off the beaten track
According to reports in the Herald Sun, Global Positioning Units (GPS) are sending unsuspecting motorists off the beaten track; with Victorian Police advising people to check conventional maps to make sure that they are going to be taking a route that is safe rather than taking the GPS advice as gospel.
The news comes as police report a rise in incidents where they have had to rescue stranded motorists who have wound up on out of the way tracks after following GPS instructions.
Police stationed in Bright, in Victoria’s alpine region most recently had to rescue a family with a young child stranded on a slippery hill in the Tea Tree Range.
Bright Sen-Sgt Doug Incoll commented:
“An increasing number of motorists are relying on GPS systems to get them from A to B and as winter approaches, some roads can become more hazardous and difficult to drive on.”
“Incidents like these use a lot of police resources and other agencies to find and rescue motorists who are stuck on difficult tracks.
“A seemingly simple mistake can quickly become a very dangerous situation that can lead to serious injury or death.”
”It is easy for drivers to put themselves and their family in danger; however it can easily be avoided by simply carrying a map.”
