Google Maps has been an important tool for navigating directions and traveling to new places. From identifying new locations to finding less congested roads, Google Maps is our go-to solution. However, a tragic incident has occurred due to ‘wrong navigation’ by Google Maps. Here’s a look at what happened.
Navigation Went Wrong
As reported by PTI, on November 24, GPS navigation led to a tragic incident in Badaun district, where three people lost their lives after their car fell into the Ramganga River from an under-construction bridge. The accident happened around 10:00 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road, according to police reports. The victims were traveling to Dataganj from Bareilly. The driver was using GPS navigation, which directed him to a damaged section of the bridge.
What went wrong? Ashutosh Shivam, the Circle Officer of the area, told PTI that “Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the GPS.” Due to the lack of an updated GPS, the driver was misled, which eventually resulted in the fatal incident. Another reason for the accident was that there were no warning signs or safety barriers near the area. The public was not alerted that the bridge was damaged and under construction. This accident could have been avoided if proper warnings had been in place.
Furthermore, the car was traveling at high speed, making it difficult to stop at the last moment. The car fell 25 feet into the Ramganga River, with all three passengers dying on the spot, as posted by a social media user on X (formerly Twitter).
Netizens React
Following the tragic incident, the internet was flooded with reactions from netizens. One X user commented, “Never trust Google Maps blindly.” Supporting this view, another user wrote, “Heartbreaking incident.” A third user expressed their condolences, saying, “Tragic incident! Relying solely on Google Maps can be risky.” Another suggested that it is always better to double-check routes.
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