Expert Speaks on Motorcyclists Operating GPS Device

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Expert on transportation Djoko Setijowarno said that the use of GPS map devices in general poses minimal risk to car drivers but the same cannot be said to motorcycle riders, especially if the devices they use are GPS apps available in smartphones.

“There actually needs to be a derivative rule since car drivers would only need to listen to the GPS’ audio command. The problem lies at motorcycle riders [that drive while operating a GPS], it is very dangerous and some cases caused fatalities,” said Djoko, who is Soegijapranata University’s transportation expert.

Read also: Govt Rule May Ticket Drivers Distracted by GPS Map

The underlying problem with motorcyclists paying attention to their GPS alongside driving their motorcycle is that the audio commands from the GPS device would be barely noticeable compared to road noises.

Motorcyclists must not only maintain their balance, but their eyes must also look forward unlike a car cabin where the GPS audio commands could clearly be heard,” he said.

He urges the government to create a derivative rule that specifically oversees the type of vehicles that are banned from being operated while using a GPS map device.  

ANTARA