For newly-licensed drivers and even some old timers, there are a few scenarios they face when behind the wheel that could raise anxiety and call for caution. These include things like tailgating, parallel parking and jumping on the highway.
However, now, the Google-owned traffic and navigation app Waze is making it easier for nervous drivers to avoid doing the one thing they hate the most: making dangerous left-hand turns.
Waze launched a new routing feature that eliminates the need for drivers to make difficult turns at intersections.
Many drivers may become stressed when having to turn left at busy intersections. They often find themselves struggling to get over multiple lanes to make the turn, or get honked at by cars behind them when they can't make the turn since there is no green arrow or turn signal.
The navigation app is eliminating recommendations of these turns, and instead, will offer routes that bypass those difficult intersections, which include those that have no traffic lights and a consistent flow of traffic, roundabouts or limited visibility. The app will instead direct the driver to turn at a safer intersection that is along their path when possible.
Because of its amount of stressful and "difficult" intersections for both drivers and pedestrians, the feature is only available for Waze users in Los Angeles for now, but will roll out to other cities like New Orleans in the near future.
The city of L.A. provided Waze developers with the data they needed to determine these intersections and alternative routes using the city's open-data portal. Since Wazers are relied on to provide details about routes and traffic, the app also tapped into the community to identify where they think the most difficult interactions are located.
Those who want to turn on this feature in Los Angeles can do so by going to the Navigation settings in the app and toggling on the "reduce difficult intersections" option.
While this feature could add to the amount of travel time it will take to reach the destination, it might come in handy during busy rush hour traffic when it's impossible to get over multiple lanes or make a turn. Therefore, it may actually save some time, or at least frustration, by making the driver wait to make that left-hand turn.
The new feature is now available for Los Angeles users via an app update.
Source: Waze
