Board-Certified Personal Injury Attorney
A driver glances down to enter an address, misses a red light, and causes a collision. In Texas, that moment of GPS distraction may make the driver liable if it contributed to the accident. The same principle applies whether the directions appeared on a phone, a dashboard screen, or a built-in navigation system.
When Does GPS Use Become Negligent Driving?
Using GPS is not automatically negligent. The issue is how the driver uses it and whether they continue operating the vehicle with reasonable care.
A driver may create an avoidable risk by:
- Entering or changing a destination while moving
- Looking repeatedly at a map instead of surrounding traffic
- Holding or repositioning a phone
- Zooming, scrolling, or searching for a location
- Reacting abruptly to a missed turn or rerouted trip
- Following an instruction despite signs, signals, or unsafe road conditions
Navigation apps divide attention in several ways. Entering an address requires manual and visual attention, while interpreting a route can demand mental focus. Even a voice-guided system may become distracting when a driver is confused, searching for an entrance, or trying to correct a wrong turn.
How Can GPS Distraction Cause an Accident?
GPS distraction can lead to the same dangerous driving behaviors associated with texting or other phone use. A distracted driver may miss a red light, drift across a lane marker, rear-end stopped traffic, or turn without checking for approaching vehicles.
Last-second directions present another risk. A driver who hears “turn now” may brake sharply, cut across several lanes, or make an unsafe turn. The navigation system did not control the car, however. Drivers remain responsible for deciding whether a maneuver can be completed safely.
Following the GPS is generally not an excuse for disregarding traffic laws or visible road conditions. If the route points toward a closed road, restricted entrance, or dangerous turn, the driver must respond to what is actually in front of them.
Does Texas Distracted Driving Law Cover GPS Use?
Texas Transportation Code Section 545.4251 prohibits drivers from using portable wireless communication devices to read, write, or send electronic messages while operating a motor vehicle unless the vehicle is stopped.
GPS use does not always fall within that specific prohibition. Yet the absence of a citation does not settle civil liability. A driver can still be negligent if interacting with a navigation system caused them to stop watching the road, lose control, or make an unsafe maneuver.
A traffic-law violation may support an personal injury claim, but it is not the only way to show fault. The broader question is whether the driver acted as a reasonably careful person would have acted under similar circumstances.
What Evidence Can Show That a Driver Was Using GPS?
GPS distraction is rarely proven by one piece of evidence. A prompt investigation can help connect device use to the driver’s actions immediately before impact. Relevant evidence may include:
- Phone-use and app records, when legally obtainable
- Navigation history and destination searches
- Dashcam, traffic-camera, or nearby surveillance video
- Witness accounts describing where the driver was looking
- Statements made at the scene
- Vehicle data showing sudden braking, steering, or acceleration
- Crash-scene evidence, including lane position and skid marks
Some evidence may only be available for a limited time. Digital records may be deleted or overwritten, and nearby businesses may retain video for only a short period. You should avoid altering your own phone or navigation data after the crash, since it could help document your location and actions as well.
Can Both Drivers Share Responsibility in Texas?
Yes. An insurance company may argue that you also contributed to the collision, even when the other driver was distracted. Texas uses a modified comparative-responsibility system. Your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of responsibility, and you generally cannot recover if that percentage exceeds 50%.
This makes a complete investigation important. Evidence should establish both what distracted the other driver and how that distraction caused the crash.
When GPS Distraction Leads to a Crash, Get Answers
GPS distraction can be difficult to establish without digital records, video, and careful analysis of the collision. Bill T. Wells, Of Counsel to The Payne Law Group, investigates Texas car accidents and helps injured people pursue compensation for medical costs, lost income, pain, and other damages.
If you believe another driver was focused on directions instead of the road, contact Bill T. Wells for a free consultation. He can review what happened, identify evidence that may still be available, and explain your options.