Satellite navigation, like most in-car technology, is designed to make our lives easier and help us reach our destination quickly and safely.

But the vast majority of drivers don't trust it to complete journeys in the fastest possible time, according to a new study by the RAC.

In a poll of 1,601 UK drivers, more than four in five (84 per cent) said they ignore instructions from their car or smartphone sat-nav because they believe they can reach their destination faster than the device predicts.

The report comes amid growing concerns that motorists' over-reliance on navigation apps has triggered a rise in serious crashes and avoidable near-fatal collisions in recent years.

Worryingly, one in ten drivers said their sat-nav had sent them the wrong way down a one-way street, potentially risking a head-on collision.

The findings come as figures from National Highways reveal the number of drivers travelling the wrong way on motorways has increased by 30 per cent in four years.

Nearly 1,000 motorists were reportedly involved in incidents with oncoming vehicles on England's motorways last year, up from 729 during the same period four years earlier. National Highways said multiple people died in head-on collisions on these roads in 2025.

The RAC says its latest research shows sat-navs are used by the majority of drivers, but warned that people 'shouldn't blindly follow the directions'.

Nine in ten respondents said they use navigation tech in their cars.

Almost one in ten (8 per cent) said they rely on sat-navs for every journey, while three in ten use them on most trips and around half use them occasionally.

However, Britain's drivers complained about a range of frustrations with the technology, with the most alarming being the 11 per cent who claimed to have been sent the wrong way down a one-way road.

Half said their device does not always detect upcoming traffic jams, while more than two in five reported being routed down small, narrow roads they would normally avoid.

One in five blamed their sat-nav for sending them down a dead-end street that was difficult to reverse out of.

Despite the drawbacks, one in ten admitted they follow sat-nav instructions without question.

RAC breakdown spokeswoman Harriet Hernando said: 'Sat-navs are used by the majority of drivers and can be a useful tool to help us get from A to B. But what this data shows is that people shouldn't blindly follow the directions and should continue to pay close attention to road signs, while also tapping into any local knowledge they have of the area.'

She added: 'With several fatalities attributed to sat-navs, it's important to pay attention to road signage and ensure devices are fully updated with the latest changes to the road network.'

The study also found that the devices drivers use for navigation have shifted dramatically over the last decade.

The most popular option today is free smartphone apps such as Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps. Most new cars can connect to drivers' phones and display these applications through the vehicle's infotainment screen using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Just a third said they use a built-in sat-nav system, while only 9 per cent, typically drivers aged over 65, use a standalone device mounted on the dashboard or windscreen.

In November 2024, Google and Apple agreed to amend their audio prompts after a double-fatal crash appeared to have been caused by incorrect sat-nav directions.

A driver travelled the wrong way along the A5 near Milton Keynes after following instructions from her sat-nav, resulting in a head-on collision in which both drivers tragically died.