I think you’re onto something there!
We use the GPS quite a bit. Before you set out, program the destination address in. Ours (Garmin) has a map as well as voice directions. I hardly ever look at the screen while driving; only to see the distance remaining to my destination when I’m on the highway. Last year I drove in Europe with a Tom Tom and found it extremenly useful. At 140 km/hr it’s hard top look at a map.
If you wan to look at the screen all the time while driving you’re not using it right.
They can be. Not all GPS are created equal. Some can be very useful without creating a distraction. That is some will announce the instructions even to the point of suggesting moving to the right lane etc. With the right programming they need not be a distraction. In fact I find it may be less distracting than trying to figure out if my exit coming up is to the right or left with five lanes of traffic between them.
When traveling with my wife, she is my GPS. She seldom will turn it on, but she has her maps there and she is a good navigator. Sorry, she is not available. :}I drive about 40k miles a year. And have about 300 waypoints in my gps. Use it daily. Also spend hours a day on cellphone with a headset. I’m careful, don’t fool with any of it unless I’ve got plenty of room ahead of me, and keep checking the road ahead. No accidents. So it can be done, you just have to be careful.
P.s. I find passengers more distracting than gadgets!