Waze reports huge fall in miles driven due to coronavirus

Smartphone traffic-dodging mapping app Waze has reported a massive worldwide fall in motoring miles due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Deserted London

Motorists around the world are heeding official requests to stay at home, with mapping app Waze reporting a 60 percent global drop in miles driven. 

Figures for the UK show driven miles have fallen more than 70 percent, while in Italy driving is down more than 90 percent.

Waze global fall in miles driven due to coronavirus

Most countries have ‘dramatically stopped driving’ says the traffic-dodging app.

The huge fall in worldwide motoring comes despite many countries having different lockdown rules and timings.

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No nation has ruled out essential journeys, though. That’s why Waze has developed a number of tools to help key workers get around efficiently.

Deserted dual carriageway

In 58 countries, Waze map editors (there are more than 30,000 globally) and a Waze Crisis Response Team are working on region-specific initiatives including road closures, red zones and so on.

More countries are regularly being added to the service.  

Waze has also launched a special COVID-19 landing page, intended for use by governments around the world.

Waze Local

The idea is for officials to add data about medical testing facilities and emergency food distribution locations as map pins, to help Waze users during the pandemic.

Waze is even helping local businesses add information about whether they offer drive-through or contactless kerbside pick-up of food and other essentials.

Waze Local

Information can be added via ‘location personality’ badges, through the Waze Local service.

‘The more up-to-date the map,’ said Waze in a statement, ‘the more drivers we can help, and the more people we can keep safe.’

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror and Steering Committee director for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

1 COMMENT

  1. Most likely it’s also many have deleted Waze has become hopeless for many of late!
    Put details in and shows it in search but won’t enable it get Oops something has gone wrong! Too right Sherlock it has!
    Clear that then leave it clunking along and …….Nothing!
    But even when had it working often takes you miles out of your way or just Lost! or it’s Favourite is get to turning then say left as going past it on a busy road in the pouring rain Yeah right so have to then go find another route.
    Had it when took me miles out of the way going past right area then suddenly squeals turn right.left.right.right then left back on to route i’d come yet had gone past a roundabout which i could have used so go figure.
    Friend that had been on it a long time uses for business work trips has stopped due to same reason.

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