Study shows that those who use Google Maps and Waze while driving are more likely to be fined

Virtual mapping apps, such as Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps, have become indispensable in our daily lives, allowing us to reach our destinations in the most efficient way, regardless of whether we are familiar with the area or not.

Especially when driving, users open these platforms even before turning on the radio or music, demonstrating the enormous dependence on them. In fact, drivers are so addicted to these apps that they even defy logic, and in recent years there have been reports of accidents or cars ending up in a river or lake because they followed map directions instead of logic.

But this trend isn't just seen and experienced by some when it comes to choosing the route to follow; these apps also serve other purposes, such as alerting users about fixed and mobile speed cameras that have been reported by other users of the platform.

This is undoubtedly a great tool, because the map warns you about speed cameras before you drive past them , giving those who exceed the speed limit time to brake and avoid being caught and fined. However, a study conducted by the Dutch company Independer has just debunked this belief, or even myth, concluding that users who use these apps while driving are twice as likely to be fined.

The study shows that blindly relying on these apps to avoid speed cameras is a mistake because they are far from infallible. Even so, the majority of those who have these alerts activated in their app believe they are safe from fines, but this is nothing more than a false sense of security, as 41% of people who use apps have been fined in the last year.

However, the other side of the coin shows that only 19% of drivers who don't use these apps for this purpose received fines . The study also found that young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are the most likely to receive a speeding ticket.

Therefore, especially now with the arrival of summer and the forecast of millions of trips on Spanish roads, it's important to pay more attention to the road than to the app on your phone if you don't want to get fined. However, the foolproof trick to avoiding speed cameras is, and will continue to be, obeying the speed limits.