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(NAPSI)-When it comes to driving and directions, gender stereotypes may be true. Men don't like to stop and ask for directions-and that may be one reason more men are checking into in-vehicle navigation systems.
Nearly 60 percent of drivers in the U.S. get lost a few times a year, according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Lincoln Mercury-and with rising gas prices the cost of getting lost has gone up.
Consulting an online source is the most typical way to obtain directions to a new place. Yet, nearly 60 percent of vehicle owners surveyed said they would use a Global Positioning System (GPS)/navigation system over any other source for directions and 42 percent said they would select a GPS/navigation system as one of the top three features in their next car.
The survey found that other gender stereotypes hold true when it comes to driving and directions. Among vehicle owners, women (61 percent) are more likely than men (42 percent) to stop and ask for directions when lost and 26 percent of men will be lost for one half hour or more before taking any action.
Also, women (75 percent) are more likely than men (61 percent) to always make sure they have directions before starting a road trip to a new destination.
Yet, men (75 percent) are more likely than women (60 percent) to keep a map in the car and to consult the map when lost (36 percent vs. 19 percent of women). In addition, men (36 percent) are more likely than women to have in-vehicle experience with a GPS/navigation system.
That may change as more car owners choose this option to make driving more convenient. The next-generation navigation system is continually being enhanced and now can cite specific street names when providing directions. It's available as an option on the 2006 Lincoln Zephyr, a midsize, five-passenger sedan.
For more information on this feature, visit www.lincolnvehicles.com.
GPS navigation systems may mean never having to ask for directions.
Delightful-to-drive cars like this Zephyr, however, can make getting lost a little more fun.