New technology is great and, with the proliferation of affordable car-based sat-nav units, the money you can save over a car’s optional extra alternative can be eye-watering. However, unlike with a built in system, the trade off involves a tangle of cables, a fiddly mount and, crucially, the decision about where to stick your device so you can see it.
It’s this latter quandary that, according to the Daily Mirror, is causing some concern in legal circles. While it’s legal to mount a device to the windscreen, some areas are less desirable than others if it means that your view is obscured. To play nice with the Highway Code, you could instead invest in an air vent mount.
One final consideration is to ensure your sat-nav is stored away from prying eyes when not in use. Thieves love easy-to-steal items that are equally easy to sell on for some handy cash. Don’t leave yours on view when you’re parked up.
Fortunately the AA has a list of top tips to keep you safe - and legal
- You're driving, not the sat-nav
Don’t blame the sat-nav if you commit an offence or have an accident.
- Trust your eyes not the sat-nav
If the road looks wrong, ignore the sat-nav - don't take it.
- You know what you're driving, the sat-nav won’t
Driving a large vehicle or a caravan? Watch for signs, as just because the sat-nav tells you to go down it doesn’t mean you should.
- Watch the road not the sat-nav
A sat-nav can give all sorts of information about where you are going, much of which you don't need.
- Don't block your view of the road
The sat-nav should be in your line of sight. You don't want to have to look down or turn your head a long way, but it should not block your view of the road. Put it where it won't injure anyone in an accident.
Source: Daily Mirror
