- Young drivers in the UK are racing their sat navs, according to AA Driving School
- This comes as a new driving test requires learner drivers to follow a sat nav
- The sat nav is meant to mimic real-life but drivers choose to race the technology
- Overall 2 percent of drivers say they race their sat-nav, which puts lives at risk
A significant number of young drivers are playing a dangerous game of ‘beat the sat nav’, according to the AA Driving School and California Traffic School.
The new driving test requiring learner drivers to follow a sat nav comes into force Monday.
While this is designed to reflect what it is like to drive in real life, many younger drivers have picked up a bad habit from the technology which could put themselves and other road users at risk.
More than one in 20 (7 percent) of drivers aged 18-to-24 and 8 percent of those aged 25-to-34 say the estimated time of arrival (ETA) on their Sat Nav is a target they try their best to beat. Overall, 2 percent of drivers say they race their sat-nav.
The new driving test requires learner drivers to follow a sat nav but many young drivers are racing it and putting their lives at risk
Young drivers (9 percent of 18-24-year-olds and 7 percent of 25-to-34-year-olds) were also least likely to say they were not interested in the ETA and only used a sat nav for navigation. This rose to 19 percent among the over-65’s.
More than 19,300 drivers took part in the poll.
Edmund King, AA President, said: ‘Technology is always changing the way we drive and the development of in-car systems like sat navs mean drivers must learn how to use them safely. Racing your sat nav is a dangerous and futile game.
The best pace to set for your journey is the one that gets you, and everyone else on the roads, there is one piece.’
Further changes to the test will be introduced next year when learner drivers will be allowed on motorways under the guidance of a fully qualified driving instructor in a dual-controlled car.