What do I do?

I’m just wondering how he would react if you had a conversation about it when not in the car and tell him that you’re frightened.

Is he likely to take that on board ?

Does he really understand how scared you are?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Hi, I was a passenger in a car recently and we were following the SatNav to get back home (a journey of about 30 mins.) However there was a major crash on the motorway which the SatNav didn't know about and it kept taking us back to the (closed) motorway entrance. Took nearly two hours to get back. A map would have been much more use!

I live in France. I am sure that if you DO live in France permanently you need to be sure you are covered for living there by your (presumably) UK insurer. If you aren't covered then you should be even more worried and get insured by a French insurer asap.

I have just moved back from living in France, and there it is an offense to have a mobile phone working in your car, even when the car is at standstill. It is typically one of those laws that is asking to be broken, but nevertheless, you have the law on your side.
Could you buy a real SatNav instead of using your phone?
Hope you get this sorted out, as it is clearly causing you great distress.

Could you buy him a proper Satnav?

In the UK it is illegal to touch your phone while the engine is on

Using the phone as a satnav is fine just don't touch while driving

Refuse to go in the car is the only way, if your not confident driving then book yourself an advanced course or whatever is the equivalent there.
It the not listening to you, not caring about your opinion as well as it being a real danger to yourself and others. As others have said be assertive.

Don’t get in the car! Hands free means hands FREE, don’t touch. I don’t know the law in France about using a device like this, but he would certainly be breaking the law in UK.

I wonder if anyone remembers the last episode of series one of Cold Feet where the character Karen was killed in the car while putting a CD in the machine on the dash board and crashed into the back of a lorry. Chilling and I've never forgotten it.

Not sure about France but he would be charged with driving ‘without undue care and attention’ here - or possibly ‘manslaughter’ if he killed someone........have that on his conscience and - probably - lose his licence

I'm with the others who say don't get in the car with him unless he lets you have the mobile. You can be in charge of the zoom in/out when he asks. Potentially, a car is a lethal weapon! Would your husband be happy if you put your hands over his eyes and grabbed one hand while he was driving? I guess not! This has the same effect as what he's doing himself. Don't agree to collude in his self-delusion. By the way, French police and magistrates are not as understanding as ours!

Why don’t you drive? I’d never driven in France but went from a Cornwall to Italy on my own in a white van about 10 years ago. It’s good roads were quiet in France as Switzerland and Italy were a nightmare. It doesn’t worry me at all and it’s very easy to get used to it.I drive in Italy now at least 2 times a year for a month and find the transition isn’t too daunting.
Take control you are being too anxious and letting him make all the decisions.

Have you considered buying him an ordinary old-fashioned sat-nav? It sits on a doughnut shaped cushion on the dashboard shelf. They are set and off you go. You already decide in advance if you want the shortest, quickest or most direct route. Then he can be asked to put his mobile in your hand-bag if necessary until you reach your destination. The screens are bigger than on a phone and simpler to understand. You can quite truthfully say to him that you hate arguing with him, this solution can work for both of you and you will be able to relax. You can soften it up with " I love you and really value our lives together, so I need you to do this for me".

Just buy a “proper” satnav and you set it up before you go: take charge and turn the tables on him by saying something that appeals to most men’s egos: “I looked on line for us and this is the latest Satnav gadget, which I though you would appreciate, seeing as that damned phone one is clearly not fit for our purposes.”

Maybe it’s just my poor concentration but I find looking even momentarily at any satnav screen whether a built in car one or a phone on the dash is too high risk. If I’m looking at that I’m not looking at the road and surroundings. I don’t feel safe doing it and keep it out of sight and just listen to the audio.

I have CoPilot on my iPad, which is brilliant because of the large screen and I'm invariably driving alone. It's very clear and can be set up to zoom to the next exit as you get near. I don't use that though as the maps are so visible.
I'd far rather drive a rhd in France than a lhd in the UK. I'm very careful when I do that!
TwinLolly - you need to remind him of the horrendous level of road deaths in France!

Ditto to the map! I have to follow on a map, too, when we’re using the SatNav. Particularly useful when the SN lets you down, as ours has more than once in unknown territory.

As an aside, my dh used to have a fantastic sense of direction (mine is hopeless but I’m good at map reading) - he could visit a city very briefly, go back some years later and still find his way around.
Since he’s relied on his phone, I do notice that his ability has plummeted. Use it or lose it...

At home, in a relaxed and convivial moment totally away from any recent/prospective car trips, simply say something like 'As of now I won't be travelling in the car whilst you are driving using satnav. You have simply no idea how terrified I am for both of us'. He will be either taken aback or furious. Either way, it will, in his own quiet time, make him think over what you have said. Unfortunately, the main onus is on you. You must stick to your guns and abstain. Hopefully you will be able to use public transport or a taxi and not give him a feeling you are 'suffering'. Your peace of mind (and body!) is much more important than some physical inconvenience. Good luck.

Film him the next time he does this ..... then next time someone dies in a road traffic accident caused by electronic usage .... show it to him and say this could be him next in a Court facing a Prison sentence.

Buy him a satnav so you can put in destination before you go and get it to speak out instructions to you so no need to look at it. Has he got a birthday coming up?

It seems your options are to allow him to carry on with this extremely dangerous behaviour or do something. You have several options there - all suggested already, but removing the device from the holder and offering to guide him with you using it, or throwing it onto the back seat seem best. Whatever happens, don't allow this to continue. One slip, one moment of inattention and lives can change forever - not just yours.

Get to grips with the driving on the right issue and only go out when you are driving. Refuse to get in the car when he wants to drive as he is the one being unreasonable and putting both your lives at risk.

Sounds terrifying. I’d just take control of the phone, actually that’s how DH and I use a satnav, the driver drives and the passenger navigates. Have you tried driving in France in your U.K. car? I prefer driving my car in France than a hire car with the steering wheel on the other side.