YOU CANNOT use a mouse and not take your eyes off the road. You MUST look at the screen and that requires taking your eyes off the road. The mouse is a GREAT option as long as the passenger is the one using it. While GPS units are great, they can all also be considered a distraction if you are looking at the screen. I nearly got in an accident when I was trying to locate a POI and the traffic ahead came to an unexpected stop. That GPS was located almost directly in front of me and I still missed the stopped traffic (thanks Janet!).