Following deaths of two doctors, Kerala police cautions public against using Google Maps during monsoon

Vadakkekara police station house officer V C Sooraj said prima facie it is assumed that they lost their way following directions on Google Maps. “It seems like the car did not take a left turn as recommended by the map, but it went ahead, leading to the accident. A local resident near the accident spot said the car came at a high speed and jumped five meters away from the river bank. Due to the heavy rain, they might have mistaken the water body as a flooded road and hence might not have reduced the speed of the car,’’ he said.

The state police force, in a Facebook post on Sunday, warned people against travelling through unfamiliar routes during monsoon seasons. This season is prone to such accidents. “Google Maps are very helpful for modern day driving. But it would not talk about traffic diversions at the time of calamities or other restrictions. During monsoon season, Google may direct the users to non-congested roads, but such roads need not be safe. Google Maps may sometimes lead to roads where traffic was disrupted due to uprooted trees, swollen rivers and landslides. Chances of getting stranded after losing GPS signals are very high during the monsoon season,” said the alert.