7 ways to save time on your daily commute with live traffic
Small changes to how you plan and navigate can take minutes off every trip. Here’s how to make the most of live traffic, voice directions and offline maps.
GPS, Maps, Driving Directions
Your commute is one of the few parts of the day you repeat over and over, so even a few minutes saved each trip adds up to hours every month. GPS, Maps, Driving Directions has everything you need to get there faster. Here’s how to use it well.
1. Check traffic before you leave
Open the app a few minutes before you head out. Live traffic shows slowdowns along your usual route so you can decide whether to leave now, wait, or take a different road.
2. Let the app suggest alternative routes
When traffic builds up, the app compares routes in real time and suggests a faster one. Accepting a detour of a few hundred metres can often save ten minutes of standing traffic.
3. Use voice directions
Voice navigation keeps your eyes on the road and means you never miss a turn. You don’t need to glance at the screen at every junction, which makes driving calmer as well as quicker.
4. Keep navigating in the background
Navigation keeps running even when you switch to music or take a call, so you’ll still hear the next instruction on time.
5. Download offline maps for patchy areas
If part of your route has poor signal, such as tunnels, rural roads or underground car parks, download that area in advance. Directions keep working without a connection.
6. Watch the weather
Live weather alerts warn you about rain or storms on the way, so you can leave a little earlier or choose a safer road.
7. Save your regular places
Save home, work and the places you visit most, so starting navigation takes a single tap.
Small habits make the biggest difference: checking traffic before leaving is the one tip most people say saves them the most time.
Ready to try it? Download GPS, Maps, Driving Directions free on Google Play.