GPS Vehicle Tracking Improves Personal Safety

By Greg Bartlett

GPS car tracking is a technology that has moved from the geeky extreme to the mainstream. It has moved from being in thousand dollar gadgets to an accessory on telephones and hand held gaming consoles. GPS uses signals relayed from satellites in Low Earth Orbit to locate any point on the planet’s surface by triangulation. The signals are encoded with a timestamp for the time that they were broadcast, and by comparing the time of transmission to the time of reception (and signal strength), it’s possible to make a computer algorithm that can accurately position objects on the surface of the earth to within a foot.

While most people are aware of GPS in relation to GPS navigation systems, there is another application that’s gaining widespread adoption: vehicle tracking. When used in car tracking, a GPS system can be remotely signaled to transmit its location. This makes it possible to locate a vehicle almost instantly. Indeed, some search and rescue equipment is designed for low over-flight that can trigger these types of systems to find vehicles that have been driven off the road or into remote areas.

Recently, with the heavy snow storms of late 2008, this type of GPS driven car tracking system has made the news: A college student, out on vacation skiing, accidentally drove off the road in Colorado, rolling her car in the process. She was pinned with a broken leg in the car and too far away from the cell phone network to call for help. But her car (which was a gift from her parents on her high school graduation) had a GPS tracking system, and it started to broadcast automatically when the car was inverted. With the snow coming down and an estimated foot or more of snow expected, she probably would’ve died if a spotting plane hadn’t picked up the GPS signal, letting Colorado Department of Highway Safety officers know her location.

This demonstrates that GPS vehicle tracking should have a place in most, if not all, cars after they are purchased. They greatly increase the personal safety of the passengers of the car, and some can even be triggered by a passenger inside of the car if the car has been stolen while they’re in it. Consider making it a standard feature in the vehicle you own. It may save your life, and is likely to pay for itself in peace of mind in no time.

Tags: car, died, parent, parents, safety, system, tracking, vehicle