Global positioning systems (GPS) are very popular these days. Devices can be purchased fairly inexpensively while their usefulness can be priceless, especially if you often travel by car and don’t have the time to review maps or look up directions on your laptop.

There are more reasons than we’ll mention, but here are three benefits of having a GPS device in your automobile:

1) The first benefit is the “fun” reason for having a GPS device in your car: finding activities at which to spend your free time. Whether you’re on vacation or in your hometown, it can provide entertainment ideas. Typically, you’ll search under “entertainment” and enter keywords such as golf, movies, etc. and the area in which you’re looking, “where you are” or by zip code. There are also GPS-related games and fitness activities available to fill your spare time.

2) A second benefit of GPS devices is to save time and frustration of sitting in traffic. In areas where the service is available, the device can alert you to road construction, major traffic, closed roadways, etc. and it will provide convenient alternate routes to avoid the problem. In this respect, the GPS is a true time-saver — possibly hours a day if traffic is especially bad (or you’re in a city like Atlanta or Los Angeles).

3) As a business owner or manager, or parent of driving teenagers, you will appreciate the third benefit – the ability to track your vehicle(s). As a business owner, tracking your vehicles (and therefore, your employees) can help improve productivity and accountability as employees are never quite sure if they’re being “watched.” Yes, it’s a little like “Big Brother,” but even if it’s only used to fix recurring problems it’s worth the investment. On the other hand, if you trust your employees, but not necessarily your teenager, it can benefit you at home. We know not all kids require tracking, but if yours has had some problems with curfew or even just getting lost (although the GPS isn’t being fully-utilized if this is happening), knowing their whereabouts may provide some comfort and answers on how to solve the problem in the future.

So consider a GPS device for your automobile; it’s a small investment for a big payback, and given today’s gas prices, nobody wants to drive any further or wait in traffic any longer than is absolutely necessary.