New Yorkers (and the rest of the world, really) trust GPS apps almost the same way they trust horoscopes. We’re confident that the little blue line will take us to where we need to go. Sure, it’s convenient when you’re trying to get around areas in the city you’re unfamiliar with, but the same guidance system can add risk to streets that are already unpredictable on a good day.
This is not to shame anyone who taps “Start” before pulling out of the driveway, but there’s a side to this story most New Yorkers never hear, and when things go wrong, they often have to call up a Queens car accident lawyer for legal guidance.
The Problem With “Smart” Navigation In NYC
GPS apps are brilliant in theory. You get live traffic updates, alternate routes, street closures, all good things. But NYC doesn’t exactly wait for anyone, even Google Maps.
Traffic changes here faster than the apps can recalculate. One minute, the BQE looks clear, and the next, a delivery truck decides to double-park in the only functional lane. Or the app urges you to “turn right in 400 feet,” but you’re already boxed out by a taxi. These rapid-fire changes can trick drivers into making decisions they wouldn’t normally make.
Many locals attempt those wild, last-second lane changes because the app begged for an exit that came out of nowhere. In the Bronx or Queens, where there are ramps, such a move can end with scraped bumpers, confused honking, or worse, a full frontal accident.
When the App Becomes a Distraction
Most of us, New Yorkers, assume we’re great at multitasking. We juggle coffee cups, MetroCards, conversations, and work emails while standing on a moving train. So, of course, we think we can glance at a GPS screen “for a second.” What harm could that do?
A lot, actually.
NYC traffic demands attention. Pedestrians step off curbs before the signal changes. Cyclists weave through gaps in vehicles. Lights change in a single blink. It is risky to even look away from the road to look at your map for two seconds, as it causes those tiny misjudgments that cause rear-end crashes.
Even the audio directions can betray you. It tells you to “turn left now” right after you’ve passed the turn. Or it contradicts what you see, like telling you to continue straight while a construction crew is right in front of you, waving you away. You end up looking back and forth between the real world and your GPS, hoping they’ll eventually match.
They often don’t.
The False Confidence of Technology
GPS gives drivers this inflated sense of security. People who don’t know the boroughs well are especially vulnerable.
You follow the line without questioning it until you find yourself face-to-face with something or the other that is obstructing your route. The app might say “continue straight,” but the street clearly says otherwise.
It’s something accident attorneys talk about all the time. Someone always ends up calling a Bronx car accident lawyer or a Brooklyn car accident lawyer to tell the same story that they were just following the GPS.
Technology is helpful, but it doesn’t know how unpredictable the streets of New York can be.
The Real Culprit: NYC’s Built Environment vs. Algorithm Logic
Keep in mind that GPS apps chase the fastest route, even when the fastest route is also the messiest.
The algorithm doesn’t recognize the huddle of teenagers crossing the street or know the exact time the ice cream trucks cluster around a particular area. It definitely doesn’t understand the unspoken social contract around double-parking.
So when the app reroutes you through those tight residential shortcuts or unpredictable industrial blocks, it might help you save a few minutes, but it adds three new opportunities for a collision. It simply doesn’t speak the language of New York traffic the way New Yorkers do.
So, How Do You Stay Safe?
Here are a few things veteran city drivers follow that you can too:
- Preview the route before driving: Just a quick scan so you’re not surprised by any sudden ramps or odd turns.
- Use voice-only mode whenever possible: If the screen tempts you, turn it off.
- Trust the signs over the app: NYC signage may be blunt, but it’s rarely wrong.
- Ignore messy reroutes: If the app tells you to cut across three lanes in 300 feet, don’t.
- Choose safety-first, not speed-first settings: Most apps allow it, though it may be buried in the menu.
Conclusion
GPS is a good tool, but not a foolproof one. New York is too fast, too crowded, too idiosyncratic for any algorithm to fully capture.
You can use it and appreciate it, but don’t let it influence you into making choices you wouldn’t make on your own. The safest route is sometimes the one your instincts tell you to take.
