Using a smartwatch while driving could land you penalty points and a £100 fine

Everyone is, or should be, aware that using a mobile phone while driving is going to land you in a spot of bother with the police, leading to fines and points on your driving license. Now it’s been revealed that using a smartwatch whilst driving will land you the same punishment.

According to the Institute of Advanced Motorists, and back up by the Department of Transport, the risks of fiddling with a smartwatch are the same as those when you use a phone, so the punishments for using one are the same.

The report itself only mentions the Apple Watch (or iWatch as it is referred to) for some reason, but since the Apple Watch will be no different to any other smartwatch that’s on the market when it’s released that little oversight is unlikely to get you out of trouble if you’re caught using a G Watch, or a Moto 360.

While the IAM admits that it’s difficult to enforce this law, it should be made apparent that this is a real danger. Don’t try the “I was checking the time” excuse either, everyone knows all cars have clocks on the dashboard.

Featured image by Ed Poor via Wikimedia Commons

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