Every time a driver glances down to tap a new destination into their GPS or swipes through app screens while in motion, they are gambling with lives. Navigation technology was designed to make the road safer, but when drivers interact with it behind the wheel, it becomes just another source of deadly distraction.
If you or a loved one were seriously hurt in a crash caused by a driver whose attention was locked on a GPS screen instead of the road ahead, the attorneys at Callahan & Blaine, PC are here to help. With over 40 years of experience representing catastrophically injured victims across Southern California and a team of 29 attorneys who have secured record-breaking verdicts, we understand what it takes to hold distracted drivers accountable for the harm they cause.
How GPS Use Qualifies as Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is not limited to texting or browsing social media. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed 3,208 lives in 2024 alone, and the agency explicitly identifies fiddling with navigation systems as a dangerous diversion. Any activity that pulls a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind away from the task of driving qualifies, and GPS interaction does all three simultaneously.
Visual, Manual, and Cognitive Distraction
GPS use creates what safety researchers call a “triple threat.” A driver entering a new address or scrolling through search results on a navigation app is looking away from the road (visual distraction), manipulating a touchscreen (manual distraction), and mentally processing information unrelated to driving (cognitive distraction). This combination is no different from texting behind the wheel, which California law prohibits under Vehicle Code Section 23123.5.
Passive vs. Active GPS Use
There is an important legal distinction between passive and active GPS use. A driver who simply follows audio turn-by-turn directions while keeping their eyes on the road is engaged in passive GPS use, which carries far less liability risk. Active GPS use, meaning the driver is physically touching and interacting with the screen while the vehicle is in motion, is where liability becomes far more clear-cut. When a crash occurs during active GPS interaction, that behavior can serve as direct evidence of negligence.
Establishing Liability After a GPS-Distracted Driving Crash
Proving that a driver was using GPS at the moment of impact requires a targeted investigative approach. Phone records, app usage logs, and data from the vehicle’s infotainment system can all show exactly when a navigation app was opened, interacted with, or running in the foreground. Our attorneys know how to pursue this evidence before it disappears.
Negligence and the Duty of Care
California operates under a negligence standard for personal injury claims. Every driver owes a duty of care to others on the road. When a driver actively engages with a GPS screen while operating a moving vehicle, they are breaching that duty. Establishing this breach, alongside a direct causal link to the collision and your resulting injuries, forms the foundation of a strong liability claim. Understanding how to prove distracted driving is a critical early step in building your case.
Third-Party Liability
In some GPS-related accident cases, liability extends beyond the at-fault driver. If a commercial driver was interacting with company-issued navigation software on the job, the employer may share liability for the crash. Delivery companies, rideshare operators, and fleet-based businesses have a legal responsibility to establish safe device-use policies for their drivers. When they fail to do so, or fail to enforce the policies they have, they can be held accountable alongside the driver. Cases involving texting and driving accidents follow a similar structure and often involve overlapping legal theories.
The Role of Evidence in GPS Liability Claims
Strong cases are built on strong evidence, and GPS distraction cases are no exception. The following types of documentation are among the most critical in establishing what a driver was doing at the time of the crash.
- Cell phone and app records: Subpoenaed records can confirm the exact timestamps of GPS app interactions, revealing whether the driver was actively using the system immediately before impact.
- Vehicle telematics data: Many modern vehicles record data on infotainment activity, including when navigation systems are accessed while the car is in motion.
- Witness testimony: Passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists may have observed the at-fault driver looking down at a screen just before the collision.
- Surveillance footage: Nearby traffic or security cameras can sometimes capture the moments leading up to a crash, including a driver’s posture and head position.
Gathering this evidence quickly is essential, as electronic records can be deleted and footage can be overwritten. The personal injury car accident attorneys at Callahan & Blaine, PC know how to act fast to preserve the evidence your case depends on.
Contact Callahan & Blaine, PC to Submit Your Potential Case
When a distracted driver causes a life-altering crash, victims deserve legal representation that matches the gravity of what they have endured. Understanding how dangerous distracted driving truly is reinforces just how serious these cases are, and why pursuing accountability matters.
Callahan & Blaine, PC has spent more than four decades fighting for seriously injured Californians, earning the largest jury verdict in Orange County history and securing results that reflect the true cost of negligence. If you were hurt because a driver could not keep their eyes on the road and off their GPS, contact us to submit your potential case.
