It's not as easy to get lost as it used to be. Many drivers have access to a GPS system—either as an in-vehicle feature, a separate unit, or a smartphone app—and they'll get real time instructions on the best route to follow to a destination.

Even with this navigational access, drivers often encourage a simpler method when traveling with friends or family. "I know where I'm going," they'll say. "Just follow me."

Anyone who's trailed a leading vehicle knows that this can be a stressful way to get to your destination. You may get stranded at a red light after your guide goes through a yellow light, or fail to get into a turning lane at the right time, or make any number of errors that risk stranding you in an unfamiliar area.

A recent study suggests that this fear of getting lost causes drivers to take more risks when following another vehicle to a destination. In their determination not to lose sight of the lead vehicle, they'll travel faster, leave less following distance, and otherwise make unsafe decisions.

The findings were recently published in the psychology journal "Frontiers." The study was conducted by Jaimie McNabb and Rob Gray of Arizona State University, as well as Michael Kuzel of the Phoenix company 4M Safety.

Researchers looked at the driving behaviors of 16 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 22, who were asked to complete three tests in a driving simulator. In the first one, they were able to choose their own route. The second drive involved following audible navigation instructions, while the third required the driver to follow a simulated vehicle.

The simulator created an urban driving scenario with intermittent traffic and a speed limit of 35 mph. The simulated vehicle drivers were asked to follow obeyed all traffic laws and traveled at an average of 35 mph, varying between speeds of 33 mph and 38 mph.

Three safety critical events took place during the following test to gauge drivers' reaction. The first involved a pedestrian entering a crosswalk after the simulated vehicle made a right hand turn. In the second, a vehicle approached an intersection where a driver needed to make a left hand turn. In the final scenario, a traffic light turned yellow when the driver was two seconds away from the start of the intersection.

While seven of the 16 drivers yielded to the pedestrian when following audible instructions, all participants cut in front of the pedestrian when following the simulated vehicle. In both the audible navigation test and vehicle following test, every driver made a left turn in front of the oncoming vehicle and went through the yellow light. However, they made more erratic turns and accelerated to higher speeds in the test where they needed to follow a vehicle.

The study also determined that drivers were generally more likely to drive faster, leave a shorter following distance, and make turns or lane changes at a faster speed.

The researchers say that previous studies have shown that drivers engage in riskier behaviors if they are under time pressure, or feel that they need to get to a destination in a certain amount of time. These drivers are more likely to underestimate their own speed, exceed speed limits, make left hand turns during shorter gaps in traffic, and run red lights.

The study concludes that the fear of getting lost exerts its own unique type of time pressure. Drivers in the simulation took more risks not just during the critical scenarios, but also in areas such as straightaways when there was little chance of losing sight of the simulated vehicle.

The researchers say drivers can avoid this stress by simply following a map or navigational system to an address. They suggest that drivers who lead the way for other vehicles should reduce their speed and adjust their driving behavior accordingly, such as making a left turn when the gap is large enough for the vehicle behind them to follow.