NEW RAC RESEARCH CONFIRMS WHY DRIVERS MUST GO BEYOND FOLLOWING SATNAV

Based on RAC research published 7 August 2026

New research from the RAC provides striking confirmation of a simple principle: a satnav is a powerful source of guidance, but it cannot take responsibility for the journey. That responsibility remains with the driver.

The survey of 1,601 UK drivers found that 91% use some form of satellite navigation. Yet widespread use does not mean complete trust. Only 35% reported a high degree of trust in their device and 89% said they sometimes disregard its directions. Most drivers have already discovered, through experience, that navigation requires more than following instructions on a screen.

Navigation Technology Is Almost Universal

The findings also show how the technology has changed. Free smartphone applications such as Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps are now the main choice for 53% of drivers. Built-in vehicle systems account for 35%, while only 9% mainly use a separate unit attached to the dashboard or windscreen.

The familiar standalone satnav has therefore become only one part of a much larger navigation landscape. The device may now be a telephone, a vehicle display or an application receiving live traffic information. The underlying issue, however, has not changed: every system works from data and assumptions that may be incomplete, outdated or unsuitable for the particular vehicle and circumstances.

What Drivers Say Goes Wrong

The reported problems are not minor technical curiosities. They affect convenience, suitability and, in some cases, safety:

• 52% said their device did not always identify an upcoming traffic jam.
• 44% had been directed onto small or narrow roads.
• 19% had nearly become stuck after being sent into a dead end that was difficult to reverse out of.
• 11% reported being directed the wrong way along a one-way street.
• 12% nevertheless admitted following satnav instructions without question.

These figures demonstrate the distinction between receiving directions and navigating. A system can calculate a route, but the driver must still decide whether that route is legal, safe and appropriate. Road signs, vehicle restrictions, road width, weather, traffic conditions and what can actually be seen ahead must take precedence over a digital instruction.

Ignoring the Satnav Is Not Enough

The RAC reported that 84% of drivers who departed from the recommended route arrived sooner than the time their satnav had predicted. This is an interesting finding, but it should not be interpreted as proof that ignoring the device is automatically quicker. An original estimated arrival time can change because traffic clears, conditions improve or the estimate was cautious. Nor is an instinctive alternative necessarily safe or suitable.

The real lesson is not simply to trust your instincts. It is to exercise informed judgement. That means combining the satnav’s information with road signs, observation, local knowledge, live traffic information and an understanding of the journey as a whole. Sometimes the calculated route will remain the best choice. At other times the driver may have good reason to reject it. The important point is that the decision should be conscious and supported by evidence.

The RAC Advice Reflects the Principles of Road Navigation

The RAC advises drivers not to follow directions blindly. It recommends paying close attention to signs, using local knowledge and looking at the journey before setting off so that possible routes are understood. This advice closely reflects the six principles of road navigation.

• Confirm: Check that the destination and route settings describe the journey actually intended.
• Plan: Examine the journey beforehand rather than entering a postcode and immediately setting off.
• Familiarise: Build a broad mental picture of the route, important roads, junctions and alternatives.
• Long-range observation: Look well ahead for signs, congestion, restrictions and developing problems.
• Anticipate and position: Prepare for the route ahead and place the vehicle safely in good time.
• Short-range observation: Check that the immediate turning or manoeuvre is legal, safe and correct before committing to it.

Together, these principles provide something that a warning to ‘use common sense’ cannot: a repeatable method. They keep the driver engaged before and during the journey and make it less likely that an implausible instruction will be accepted simply because a device delivered it confidently.

The System Provides Information; the Driver Retains Command

Modern navigation systems are extraordinarily useful. They can calculate routes in seconds, respond to changing traffic, estimate arrival times and guide drivers through unfamiliar places. Rejecting that assistance would make little sense. Surrendering judgement to it makes equally little sense.

The safest and most effective relationship is one of cooperation. The technology contributes calculation, mapping and current data. The driver contributes observation, context, experience and responsibility. Neither should be treated as a complete substitute for the other.

The latest RAC findings do more than reveal frustration with satnavs. They confirm that intelligent navigation remains a human skill. Devices have changed and smartphone applications now dominate, but the central principle remains exactly the same:

Satnav guides. The driver decides.

Source

• RAC, “Sat-nav or sat-nag?”, 7 August 2026. Online95 survey conducted in April and May 2026 among 1,601 UK drivers.

Satnav guides. The driver decides.