How GPS Navigation Errors Contribute to Serious Accidents

GPS navigation errors can contribute to serious accidents when drivers follow outdated directions, ignore road warnings, make sudden maneuvers to follow a route, or become distracted while using a navigation device. The problem can be particularly serious when a driver is unfamiliar with Butler County roads or encounters construction, detours, or changing traffic patterns.

At Conlon Tarker, P.C., our Butler County car accident lawyers can investigate whether GPS use, distraction, or an unsafe response to navigation directions contributed to your crash and pursue the evidence needed to support your claim.

GPS problems can contribute to crashes in several ways.

A GPS instruction doesn’t override a traffic sign, barricade, detour, low-clearance warning, or other hazard. Drivers must still pay attention to the road and respond to actual conditions. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) specifically advises commercial drivers to obey traffic signs and advisories even when they conflict with GPS directions.

Outdated Mapping Data

Navigation systems may contain old road information and direct drivers toward closed exits, changed roads, or routes that no longer match current conditions. Federal safety guidance recommends keeping navigation maps updated so drivers have current route information.

Improper Vehicle Routing

A navigation system may recommend a route without accounting for a vehicle’s height, weight, length, or other limitations. This can create serious risks for trucks and other large vehicles.

GPS Distraction

Even when directions are accurate, a driver can cause a crash by looking down to read the screen, entering an address, changing the route, or reaching for a phone.

Pennsylvania Law on GPS and Mobile-Device Use

The specific circumstances are crucial. Under 75 Pa. C.S. § 3316.1, Pennsylvania generally prohibits a driver from using an interactive mobile device while driving. Prohibited use includes holding the device or supporting it with another part of the body, along with other conduct defined by the statute.

The law took effect on June 5, 2025. During the first 12 months, drivers could receive only a written warning. As of June 2026, violations can lead to a $50 fine and related costs. That doesn’t mean every use of navigation is automatically illegal. A properly mounted, hands-free GPS navigation system can be different from holding and operating a phone while driving. Even when a particular use does not violate the mobile-device statute, a driver may still be negligent if interacting with navigation equipment distracts them or causes an unsafe maneuver.

Driver Responsibility When GPS Directions Are Wrong

A wrong GPS direction doesn’t automatically make the navigation company responsible for a crash. The more immediate question is whether the driver responded reasonably. For instance, a driver in Cranberry Township may be following a GPS route when a construction detour closes the recommended road. If the driver suddenly crosses lanes or makes an unsafe turn instead of following the posted detour, that conduct may be important in determining whether the driver acted negligently and caused the crash.

Evidence of GPS Distraction or Misuse

When you work with our Butler County car accident lawyers, they can investigate what happened immediately before the collision. They may collect relevant evidence, including the police crash report, witness statements, cellphone records, navigation information when available, vehicle data, dashcam footage, traffic-camera footage, and the driver’s own statements.

We don’t necessarily have to prove that the GPS itself gave incorrect directions. The issue may instead be whether the driver failed to use reasonable care while following or operating the navigation system and, as a result, injured you.

A navigation instruction does not excuse unsafe driving. If you were injured in Butler, Cranberry Township, Slippery Rock, Zelienople, or elsewhere in Butler County, our car accident attorneys can investigate whether distraction or an unsafe response to GPS directions contributed to the crash. Schedule your case evaluation online or call Conlon Tarker at 724-285-7700.