Direction Distraction

While "A Driving Sense of Direction" [November 26-December 3] presented a primer on GPS navigation devices, the accompanying photo makes it seem ok for a driver to plot a destination while his or her car is in motion.

Driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near-crashes, according to a research report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Primary causes of driver inattention are distracting activities, like cellphone use and, now, GPS usage.

Robert G. Butterfield
Orlando, Fla.