GPS Maps and Your Safety

Remember, your GPS device is an aid to navigation. It must be used with common sense, and it is important that users interpret GPS map data with a critical eye. Landscapes and roads change or may be impassable, trees and tall buildings can obscure GPS signals, and your GPS device may not always reflect the complete picture. When using GPS, you must combine the information provided by your GPS map with your relevant local knowledge, road signage, buoys, depth soundings and changing local conditions to generate a complete understanding of your situation.

It is your responsibility to ensure compliance to all traffic laws, including pedestrian observance of crosswalks, and to use good judgment while operating a GPS receiver. Safety must be your primary concern. GPS receiver must not be used while engaged in any activity requiring the user’s full attention to the environment. For instance, GPS receiver should be operated only by vehicle passengers or by the driver when the vehicle has come to a complete stop. The driver must not attempt to view the display while driving. Disregard any unsafe, hazardous or illegal route suggestions.

Most of the maps that comes with your GPS unit do not include, analyze, process, consider or reflect any of the following:

• legal restrictions (such as weight, height, width, load and speed restrictions)
• road slope or grade
• bridge height, width, weight or other limits
• population density
• neighborhood quality or safety
• availability or proximity of law enforcement, emergency rescue, medical or other assistance
• construction work zones or hazards
• road, sidewalk, or waterway closures or conditions
• weather conditions
• pavement characteristics or conditions
• special events
• traffic congestion

So, enjoy travelling with your GPS unit, but be careful.

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