I may be a bit late to the party but I have just recently discovered the Waze navigation app. We used it for both our October and December road trips to Walt Disney World. We LOVE it! In case you’re not familiar with the app I wanted to tell you about it in hopes that it might be useful to you during your next road trip.
What is Waze?
Waze is a user-based traffic information app. More than that, though, when using Waze you always know about traffic, construciton, police, accidents, cars stalled on the side of the road, hazards, etc. It provides detour-routing and live traffic updates.
Where can I get the app?
This easy-to-use application can be used with iphone by downloading it free from the app store. You can also download it for free if you have an android phone.
How does Waze work?
You simply enter your destination into Waze and it plans your route. Then, this people-powered system allows users to update the data in real-time. Users report traffic conditions, construction, accidents, police, etc. As a user passes a reported problem (indicated by icons displayed along the route screen) he or she can click ‘Thank you’ to indicate that the problem still exists OR ‘No longer here’ to indicate that the issue has been cleared.
Are there other features?
Users can play music, podcasts and more from Waze. Also, arrival time is based on live traffic data. You can even use it to find cheap gasoline on your route.
Problems/Considerations
Waze can drain your phone battery pretty quickly so it is best to keep your phone plugged in while using the app. Also, using any app can be distracting while driving so it is most helpful to have a passenger reading the icons and warnings and responding with the data responses listed above. This way, the driver is not trying to enter data about a hazard in the road, for example, while trying to keep his/her eyes on the road.
We will not be traveling again without Waze now that we know what an exceptional tool it is. Will you be trying this app during your next trip? Let me know your thoughts or questions in the comments below.
Happy and safe travels!
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