One In Five UK Drivers Struggle To Read A Road Map

One in five British drivers admit they would struggle to read a traditional road map or atlas when travelling to an unfamiliar destination, according to a new survey of 2,000 UK drivers. Commissioned by eBay, the study found that 20% lack confidence when navigating without modern technology, while 69% said they make mistakes when driving without a sat nav.

For many motorists, losing access to digital navigation could quickly become stressful, with a third saying they feel stressed when driving without a sat nav, while 45% believe they would either get lost or take a wrong turn. There could also be practical consequences as three in ten drivers admit they would travel further than necessary without sat nav guidance, while 25% believe they would arrive late at their destination.

The findings demonstrate just how embedded navigation technology has become in everyday driving. More than one in five drivers, 21%, said they use sat nav or navigation apps on ‘every or most journeys even when they already know the route’, and smartphones are now the preferred navigation method for many motorists, with 46% choosing to use apps on their phone or through phone mirroring. Just 29% rely on their vehicle's built-in sat nav, while only 5% still use a physical road atlas.

Drivers also expect navigation technology to offer more than simple directions. Live traffic updates were considered one of the most useful features by 36% of respondents, followed by accurate estimated arrival times (34%) and automatic route recalculation (27%).

Separate RAC research involving 1,601 UK drivers found that 91% use sat nav technology, although only 8% use it on every journey. A further 30% use one on most trips, while 53% use sat nav occasionally.

There are also plenty of frustrations. More than half (52%) said their sat nav failed to detect upcoming traffic jams, while 44% had been directed along small or narrow roads. Almost one in five, 19%, had nearly become stuck after being sent down a difficult-to-reverse dead end, while 11% had been directed the wrong way down a one-way street.

Interestingly, 84% of drivers who overruled their sat nav said they arrived faster than the system had predicted. Only 12% said they follow sat nav instructions without question, while 89% will sometimes ignore directions if they believe they know a better route. Free smartphone apps such as Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps are the most popular choice, used by 53% of drivers. Built-in vehicle systems account for 35%, while 9% use standalone sat nav devices.

The results suggest that while traditional map reading may be becoming a lost skill, drivers are still willing to rely on their own judgement when technology gets it wrong.