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The GPS navigation system offers many compelling safety benefits to travelers going into unfamiliar territory, including keeping us from getting lost, guiding us to the nearest service station, rest area or hospital, and allowing us to report our precise location to emergency responders. Though the presence of another electronic device in the car can be a distraction, those of us who recall fumbling with big, unwieldy paper roadmaps while trying to keep our eyes on the street see the in-vehicle GPS revolution as a net benefit, particularly with the addition of voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions.

Today, there is a new revolution in progress, in particular, more and more complex availability and GPS navigation capabilities of smart phones, such as the iPhone, Android and Google is one of the Nexus. However, from a security point of view, there are good reasons why your cell phone's GPS is the best to use when you stop or sitting in the passenger seat, and a dedicated in-car GPS navigation devices is still a better choice:

1. Eyes forward – with the ears to read: In the car the fact is that they use your eyes away from the streets of the main risks the future of electronic products. Almost all dedicated to the floor-board GPS provides turn by turn directions ( "In one mile, turn left onto the system"). The best units, also has text-to-speech capabilities, that they read the street names read aloud ( "In one mile, turn left on the streets"). Smart phone application does not adhere to provide these features and speaker volume and sound quality are usually much better in a dedicated GPS navigation device, with great speakers.

2. Screen size: Even with spoken instructions, there may be situations where the driver must relate to display a visual map of the GPS navigation device. Despite the fact that the quality of mobile displays to improve, their size is smaller, much smaller than that of a dedicated GPS navigation device to continue. This makes it harder to details and has the potential to be the view from the street you hold for a long time.

3. Size of Controls: Touch screens are often tricky to operate even when you’re not driving. Because mobile phones are smaller than dedicated GPS models, the soft buttons we press to control the system are also smaller, necessitating more effort, finesse, and time to operate. Once more, this has the potential of keeping your eyes off the street.

4. Raised his head: Dedicated GPS devices are usually installed in the windshield or dashboard and so on, they do not require the drivers to put forward his / her head, take a look at the screen, just eyes can provide a satisfactory transfer. Unless the smart phone posted in a similar manner, rather than in the passenger seat in the drink holder or ashtray, which is usually true, the driver will not only to avoid the eyes and head, take a look at displays, but also may have to eliminate in an effort to phone in hand from the wheel so it may be more simple terms, the additional distraction.

5. Power: While dedicated GPS Navigation models usually plug into the auto’s power, we’re accustomed to the convenience of with our cell phones without plugging them in. When running on battery power, the mobile phone’s screen saver may switch on, requiring you to reactivate it (by touching the display, for example), one more distraction and requirement to remove a hand from the wheel.

6. It’s For You: It is easy to forget that your cell phone is, well, a phone. An poorly-timed mobile phone call could interfere with the capacity to navigate.

7. Precision: Acquiring a GPS transmission from space demands an antenna and sensitive GPS Navigation chip. A dedicated GPS device has a larger antenna and typically a very sensitive GPS Navigation chipset which makes sure you can receive GPS Navigation signals even among tall structures and beneath a forest canopy. Your smartphone handset can’t offer the same level of sensitivity therefore would not have the ability to estimate your location as precisely. Why is this a safety concern? Lacking a good fix on your location, your GPS could route you incorrectly or furnish directions too late for you to complete a turn safely.

There is no doubt, smart phone technology will continue to promote and address these security problems, but there still exists in the use of dedicated in-car GPS system, use the phone only as a backup, or take advantage of strong security shotgun. Today, professional GPS devices, such as Garmin's Nuvi line, and are easily transportable and light and easily in your purse or briefcase through. If you must run your intelligent navigation while driving, take the following steps to maximize the security:

- Make certain your mobile phone is affixed to your windshield or dashboard in a “heads-up” location.

- Plug your mobile phone into your car or truck’s power outlet.

- Make sure that the speaker volume of your smartphone is satisfactory; use your auto’s audio system by plugging your auto’s speaker jack (if available) into your mobile phone; alternatively, make use of the smartphone’s wired or wireless earpiece to be certain that you can hear spoken directions clearly.

- Prepare and review your route in advance of when you head out and while stopped.

- Stay off the phone until you’re stopped or traveling in a region where you don’t need immediate GPS assistance