Navigation Apps may recommend the shortest route, but not always the safest

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif.-Navigation Apps suggest drivers take the shortest and not necessarily the safest route.

A sign on the Southbound 101 near Buellton reads: "Southbound Trucks 101 Recommended."

But they don't always follow the recommendation and go the longer, less winding way.

One Santa Barbara County Fire spokesperson calls it, "frustrating."

Mike Eliason said Apps such as Waze and GPS recommend the 154 over the 101.

Going from one end of the county along the 101 is about 12 miles longer but it may only take four more minutes more in drive time.

The 154 has had its share of accidents in both directions.

When Caltrans shutdown the I-5 Grapevine during heavy snow the 101 and 154 in Santa Barbara County seemed flooded with more traffic.

Santa Ynez Valley resident James Clement noticed an increase in traffic on the 154 during the closure.

" You can tell the people that don't know the pass and they're a detriment to everybody on the road, " said Clement, " I have a stripe in my car I call it the San Marcos stripe from the K-rail that I was pushed into on a left hand turn, three feet over the line, just last year I it like a Taladega stripe."

It can lead to more accidents.

Icy conditions on Cold Spring Bridge resulted in a multi-car crash involving eight cars and a semi-truck over the weekend.

First responders helped rescue two pregnant women and an older man.

Cottage Hospital treated them.

When Caltrans has the 101 and 154 open most first responders are there to protect drivers, not to give advice on which way to go.

Kristin Luis, who works in the wine industry, said she tells friends to take the longer way; meaning the 101, whenever possible.

"The 154 is dangerous route if you are not familiar with it, I think locals know how to drive it, but if you are from out town and you get rerouted down the 154 and you don't know where your are going and where the curves are it can be really dangerous," said Luis.

Both say taking the 101, along the coast, also offers a breathtaking view during the day.