These Iowa drivers blindly followed their GPS into ... dirt ravines

Many of us rely on the helpful voices in our navigation systems to steer us in the right direction.

But for some drivers in eastern Iowa, they may be relying on that voice a little too much.

In the last few weeks, Mount Vernon police have received at least four calls from drivers who got stuck in dirt ravines after following their GPS down Bryant Road — a path that is plagued with hazards like overgrown grass, deep mud puddles and ruts down both ends.

"Use your brain," said Mount Vernon Police Chief Doug Shannon. "If your brain tells you not to go down, that’s probably not a good way to go."

Drivers rescued by police said they were trying to enter or leave Mount Vernon and their navigation systems told them to take the basically non-existent road.

Bryant Road is categorized as level B by the Iowa Department of Tranposrtation, meaning it's a reduced-maintenance road that's typically only used by drivers on farm equipment or all-terrain vehicles.

That means cars that are traversing it are hitting ruts longer than their car frames allow or are getting stuck when they hit dirt that's too high.

Since the farm fields are planted now, it's going to be even more difficult to get them towed out, Shannon said.

"If your GPS is telling you that on your phone, obviously there’s better routes," Shannon said.

And if this whole situation reminds of you that scene from The Office ... you're not the only one.