Motoring Discussion > Satnav Related Road Deaths. Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bromptonaut Replies: 10
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 16:15 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Bromptonaut
The Milton Keynes Coroner has published a 'Prevention of Future Deaths' report following an accident on the A5 near Little Brickhill:

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Tracey-Haybittle-Prevention-of-Future-Deaths-Report-2024-0469.pdf

A driver died on the A5 after a car entering it mistakenly via an off slip collided head on with a car on the A5. Both drivers died, one at the scene the other in hospital in Oxford. Issue seems to be with a driver following voice commands and turning too soon. If the visual prompts on screen are followed it's pretty clear where to go; less so on vox.

Other incidents have occurred before..

I don't suppose the responses from Google etc will be published but they would be interesting.
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 16:23 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Bromptonaut
Replied to a message on here that evaporated!!
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 16:30 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - smokie
One of the considerable benefits (??) of being a mod :-)

I wrote that Road layouts and signage usually make it fairly difficult to get it wrong these days don't they? before reading the coroners report which said

"National Highways undertook a number of immediate remedial measures to try to prevent
drivers turning and travelling the wrong way down this slip road, including narrowing the
"mouth" of the slip road to one lane, placement of very large temporary "No Entry" signs
and placement of signs indicating "Do Not Use Satnav" at the site. CCTV monitoring of
driver behaviour was commenced. Police activity and monitoring by National Highways
showed that despite these measures, drivers were still turning early and attempting to
drive the wrong way down the slip road. Further enquiries by the police and information
volunteered by members of the public who made the same incorrect manoeuvre led to the
finding that while the visual map display on commonly used satnav applications at this
junction displayed the correct information, the verbal commands gave information likely to
confuse and direct drivers down the wrong slip road into the path of oncoming traffic. This
was observed to happen frequently."

I guess it's this one and I suppose I can understand how some might get it wrong before the mods mentioned above, which I've not seen. tinyurl.com/yzy4trvm
Last edited by: smokie on Fri 30 Aug 24 at 16:31
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 16:36 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Bromptonaut
I cannot either but it seems to be a regular 'thing'.

There's a junction on the Wrexham to Chester road (A486?) where I've nearly cocked up. No satnav just a weird dumbell roundabout and what might have been a 'senior moment'.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 30 Aug 24 at 16:37
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 18:50 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Terry
Although the consequences were far more severe, it is analogous to the numpties who blindly follow sat-nav without applying common sense, basic road awareness and observation.

HGVs stalled in country lanes, default settings on sat-nav prioritising single track roads if shortest distance is selected etc etc.

The fundamental point - sat-nav is a navigation aid, not the lord almighty whose every command is to be obeyed without question.

With simple observation the accident would never have happened.
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 20:32 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Zero
I can't see in any way how sat nav is responsible for this, a stupid driver is a stupid driver sat nav or no sat nav.

Someones family in the states tried to sue a sat nav maker because a deceased member turned onto a railway track and was hit by a train.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 30 Aug 24 at 20:34
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 21:20 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - legacylad
Chuffin heck…
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 21:46 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - zippy
Shockingly sad to read that two people died unnecessarily.

I wonder if "crocodile teeth" on the entrances to slip roads would help to stop drivers going the wrong way by puncturing their tyres?

Also, it will be interesting to know if Apple, Google and TomTom respond. Is there any way of finding out?
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 22:28 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - bathtub tom
The Black Cat roundabout on the A1/A421 clearly has two lanes travelling west. LH for Roxton/ A421 west, RH for A1 north. The number of folk that seem incapable of processing this information is staggering. Many wanting the A421 west get in the RH lane and rather than go round the roundabout again, force their way into the the LH lane. Presumably because they want the third exit, they think they have to be in the RH lane. I've come off the roundabout onto the dual carriageway on the nearside of a police car that was travelling slowly in the outside lane and whilst making sure I didn't undertake them, maintained speed as they tried to move left!

maps.app.goo.gl/vmmJWWvs2FSEtGk18
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 23:03 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - sooty123
BC is pretty poorly sign posted, not surprising people end up in the wrong lane. It'll be much better when there's graded junctions in 3 years or so.
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New Fri 30 Aug 24 23:10 
 Satnav Related Road Deaths. - Zero
I use the BC a couple of times a month, will be there tuesday. It is currently a confusing mess.
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