diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e04b4f6..09f9cea 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 use geo_types::{Coord, LineString};
 use std::char;
+use std::iter::{Enumerate, Peekable};
 
 const MIN_LONGITUDE: f64 = -180.0;
 const MAX_LONGITUDE: f64 = 180.0;
@@ -99,52 +100,61 @@ where
 
 /// Decodes a Google Encoded Polyline.
 ///
+/// Returns an error if the polyline is invalid or if the decoded coordinates are out of bounds.
+///
 /// # Examples
 ///
 /// ```
 /// use polyline;
 ///
-/// let decodedPolyline = polyline::decode_polyline(&"_p~iF~ps|U_ulLnnqC_mqNvxq`@", 5);
+/// let decoded_polyline = polyline::decode_polyline(&"_p~iF~ps|U_ulLnnqC_mqNvxq`@", 5);
 /// ```
 pub fn decode_polyline(polyline: &str, precision: u32) -> Result<LineString<f64>, String> {
-    let mut index = 0;
-    let mut lat: i64 = 0;
-    let mut lng: i64 = 0;
+    let mut scaled_lat: i64 = 0;
+    let mut scaled_lon: i64 = 0;
     let mut coordinates = vec![];
     let base: i32 = 10;
     let factor = i64::from(base.pow(precision));
 
-    let chars = polyline.as_bytes();
+    let mut chars = polyline.as_bytes().iter().copied().enumerate().peekable();
 
-    while index < chars.len() {
-        let (latitude_change, new_index) = trans(chars, index)?;
-        if new_index >= chars.len() {
-            break;
+    while let Some((lat_start, _)) = chars.peek().copied() {
+        let latitude_change = decode_next(&mut chars)?;
+        scaled_lat += latitude_change;
+        let lat = scaled_lat as f64 / factor as f64;
+        if !(MIN_LATITUDE..MAX_LATITUDE).contains(&lat) {
+            return Err(format!("Invalid latitude: {lat} at index: {lat_start}"));
         }
-        let (longitude_change, new_index) = trans(chars, new_index)?;
-        index = new_index;
 
-        lat += latitude_change;
-        lng += longitude_change;
+        let Some((lon_start, _)) = chars.peek().copied() else {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "No longitude to go with latitude at index: {lat_start}"
+            ));
+        };
+        let longitude_change = decode_next(&mut chars)?;
+        scaled_lon += longitude_change;
+        let lon = scaled_lon as f64 / factor as f64;
+        if !(MIN_LONGITUDE..MAX_LONGITUDE).contains(&lon) {
+            return Err(format!("Invalid longitude: {lon} at index: {lon_start}"));
+        }
 
-        coordinates.push([lng as f64 / factor as f64, lat as f64 / factor as f64]);
+        coordinates.push([lon, lat]);
     }
 
     Ok(coordinates.into())
 }
 
-fn trans(chars: &[u8], mut index: usize) -> Result<(i64, usize), String> {
+fn decode_next(
+    chars: &mut Peekable<Enumerate<impl std::iter::Iterator<Item = u8>>>,
+) -> Result<i64, String> {
     let mut shift = 0;
     let mut result = 0;
-    let mut byte;
-    loop {
-        byte = chars[index] as u64;
+    while let Some((idx, mut byte)) = chars.next() {
         if byte < 63 || (shift > 64 - 5) {
-            return Err(format!("Cannot decode character at index {}", index));
+            return Err(format!("Cannot decode character at index {idx}"));
         }
         byte -= 63;
-        result |= (byte & 0x1f) << shift;
-        index += 1;
+        result |= ((byte & 0x1f) as u64) << shift;
         shift += 5;
         if byte < 0x20 {
             break;
@@ -156,7 +166,7 @@ fn trans(chars: &[u8], mut index: usize) -> Result<(i64, usize), String> {
     } else {
         result >> 1
     } as i64;
-    Ok((coordinate_change, index))
+    Ok(coordinate_change)
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -232,33 +242,33 @@ mod tests {
     }
 
     #[test]
-    // emoji is decodable but messes up data
-    // TODO: handle this case in the future?
     fn broken_string() {
         let s = "_p~iF~ps|U_u🗑lLnnqC_mqNvxq`@";
-        let res = vec![
-            [-120.2, 38.5],
-            [-120.95, 2306360.53104],
-            [-126.453, 2306363.08304],
-        ]
-        .into();
-        assert_eq!(decode_polyline(s, 5).unwrap(), res);
+        let err = decode_polyline(s, 5).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err, "Invalid latitude: 2306360.53104 at index: 10");
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[should_panic]
     fn invalid_string() {
         let s = "invalid_polyline_that_should_be_handled_gracefully";
-        decode_polyline(s, 6).unwrap();
+        let err = decode_polyline(s, 5).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err, "Cannot decode character at index 12");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn another_invalid_string() {
+        let s = "ugh_ugh";
+        let err = decode_polyline(s, 5).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err, "Invalid latitude: 49775.95019 at index: 0");
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[should_panic]
-    // Can't have a latitude > 90.0
     fn bad_coords() {
+        // Can't have a latitude > 90.0
         let res: LineString<f64> =
             vec![[-120.2, 38.5], [-120.95, 40.7], [-126.453, 430.252]].into();
-        encode_coordinates(res, 5).unwrap();
+        let err = encode_coordinates(res, 5).unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err, "Invalid latitude: 430.252 at position 2");
     }
 
     #[test]