GPS is great for highway driving but I have found once you get into a city it can be very unreliable as the road it tells you to turn on is usually behind you by the time you get the message. I have one for my car. When the sky is clear the reception is better. IF your driving through a thunderstorm you can still use it but it will not be accurate. Garmin is the best (in my opinion)
How can I prevent running into low clearances when using a GPS? Better to re-phrase the question as how do I prevent clearance issues period?
Write the route down then go to the front of your atlas and look for restricted routes and low clearances for each state.