Dear Local Guides! 
We have all been there - cruising along our usual route when suddenly traffic comes to a dead stop because of a stalled car, surprise roadwork, or a closed lane. While Google Maps is great at detecting slow-downs automatically, it relies on us to tell it why the delay is happening.
Reporting road incidents in real-time is one of the most immediate ways we can help our local community stay safe and save time. Here is a quick breakdown of how to use the incident reporting feature during your next drive.
How to Report an Incident (Step-by-Step) 
Step 1: Find the Report Button 
While you have active navigation running, keep an eye on the right side of your screen. Tap the small alert icon (a triangle with a plus sign inside) to start a report.
Alternatively, you can pull up the bottom menu where your ETA is displayed and tap “Add a report”.
Step 2: Choose the Hazard 
Once you tap the icon, a menu pops up with several options. You can flag things like:
- Crash
- Congestion
- Roadworks
- Lane closure
- Object on road
- Flooded road
or - Low visibility
If you are driving and want to keep your hands on the wheel, you can also use the blue button at the top to say “Ok Google” and report with your voice.
Step 3: Confirm Your Report 
After selecting the issue - like a “Lane closure” - Maps gives you a brief countdown at the bottom of the screen. It will display a message like “Reporting lane closure” along with an “Undo” button just in case you tapped the wrong icon by mistake.
Once the timer finishes, or if you tap “Done”, your report goes live to help drivers behind you.
Why This Is So Important 
Dropping a quick hazard report doesn’t just reroute traffic; it actively prevents accidents. Giving drivers a heads-up that there is an object on the road or sudden low visibility allows them to slow down before it is too late. It is a tiny action with a massive community impact.
Keep in mind that Google Maps does not currently award Local Guide points for reporting road incidents. While these submissions are tracked under your contribution profile, they do not increase your overall point count or level status - making this a pure act of community service!
Do you regularly use the incident reporting tool during your commute? What is the most common hazard you find yourself flagging?
Let me know in the comments below! 
More Community Map Guide Series Posts:
- Community Map Guide: How to report Road Incident on Google Maps (This post)
- Community Map Guide: Exploring the Contribute Tab
by @KetanChhaniyara - Community Map Guide: Unlock Your Personal Travel Diary with the ‘You’ Tab by @KetanChhaniyara
- Decoding the Map: The Art and Science of Google Maps Iconography by @KetanChhaniyara
- Community Map Guide: How to Improve Routing for Everyone with Trip Feedback by @NareshDarji
- Community Map Guide: Find your digital footprint
by @NareshDarji - Community Map Guide: Decoding the Visual Language of Google Maps by @NareshDarji
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