Swinton Vans have conducted a survey revealing that many van drivers do not have confidence in their satellite navigation systems.

Sat navs are not always favoured by van driversOne thousand van drivers took part in the Swinton survey which revealed that one in five van drivers would rather find their own way to an address rather than use their sat nav. In addition a third of these drivers said their sat navs had taken them to an incorrect location.

Interestingly, more than two fifths of van drivers felt that their own navigational skills were excellent and that just about half of van drivers kept a map in their van to be used in case of need.

One in ten drivers have never even used a sat nav whether that is for business purposes or on a personal basis. Many van drivers with up to a year’s experience of driving a van felt that their own navigational skills were “very good”

Amongst some of the main reasons that came out in the survey as to why a van driver would not use their sat nav was that if the sat nav took the driver to an incorrect location they would possibly be late in arriving at the correct address. This could have a negative impact on the reputation of the business and may loose them contracts and they would have increased fuel costs.

Phil Moss, who is the Commercial Vehicle Manager at Swinton Van Insurance, stated: “Whilst sat navs are intended to help, there are still people who prefer to find their own way around for a variety of reasons. The impact on a business should a sat nav go wrong can manifest itself in a number of ways – damaging customer relations as well as having financial implications should it interfere with trading.

“Whilst many people use sat navs, some simply trust their own skills more – perhaps having been brought up in the area or knowing short-cuts that their device may not be programmed for. It is also important to remember to update your sat nav regularly, ensuring that any new roads, speed cameras or closures are included.”

What are your experiences of using a satellite navigation system?

Source: Swinton Van Insurance August 2012