Earlier in the year, an inquest established that four-year-old Ariana Bardhaj was killed when her father relied solely on his satnav system, which gave instructions contradicting road signs that were present.

Incidents of accidents and near misses, along with people being directed the wrong way up one way streets, have risen steadily in line with increased use of GPS-based systems.

The Royal Academy of Engineering said recently that 'society may be dangerously over reliant' on such systems. Road safety organisations have also raised concerns over the use of satnav, particularly because road users become vulnerable when a driver's attention is taken away from the road.

With regard to personal injury claims following an accident in which a satnav may have played a part, blaming it is unlikely to reduce one's liable position.

While there is always the possibility of bringing legal action against the manufacturer of a device that can be proved to be faulty, by way of a product liability claim, this is far from straightforward and still doesn't outweigh the liability of a driver who's been negligent.

Road users must understand that while a saynav system is a useful navigational tool, it doesn't legally override traffic signs and signals or the rules of the road. Sudden changes in direction, driving the wrong way on one way roads, unexplained hesitation, altering settings and looking at the screen for long periods or too often, are all acts that have resulted in accidents and for which the driver of the vehicle is likely to be found at fault.

All road users are at a heightened risk if a satnav system is over relied on. Accidents in which satnav may have played a part, more often than not don't adhere to the vehicle-versus-vehicle model.

Associate and Team Leader Dave Escandell said: ''Following satnav instructions to the letter with no regard to the highway or road signage can result in single vehicle accidents in which the victims are often passengers or pedestrians.

"Cyclists are particularly vulnerable, as the majority of cycling accidents on UK roads occur at or near a junction, the very place where a satnav system is relied on the most, when drivers'  attention can be drawn away from the road and onto a satnav screen.''

The general rule is that common sense and obeying road traffic rules is the priority. If a satnav direction is likely to lead to a manoeuvre that endangers other road users and/or is illegal, then the direction must be ignored.

Furthermore, if satnav instructions do lead to sudden changes in direction, driving the wrong way on one way roads, or any other manoeuvre that could be considered dangerous, the potential for a motor prosecution or fixed penalty notice may increase if the Government's strategic framework for road safety is implemented.

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