Drivers could face a hefty £1,000 fine and penalty points on their licence for using their smartwatches while driving.
While wearing a smartwatch is not illegal, if a driver is caught using a smartwatch at the wheel, they could be charged in the same way as using a mobile phone.
Motorists could get a minimum fine of £200 plus six points on their licence if they are distracted by their smartwatch while in the car.
According to Statista data, 4.3million people have smartwatches in the UK, while primarily advertised as health gadgets, more advanced models allow users to view messages, answer phone calls and text back all on the small screen.
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More than 4.3million people have smartwatches in the UK
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John Wilmot, CEO and founder of comparison site LeaseLoco, which commissioned the research offered advice to drivers to not risk getting into trouble while driving.
He said that while the Highway Code doesn’t directly say whether it’s illegal or not, smartwatches fall under the same bracket as distraction behind the wheel.
This means drivers could face the same penalties as mobile phone users, again, depending on severity. This could be anything from checking the time or a notification, to answering a call through the watch.
For this reason, the safest option is to either switch the watch off while driving or take it off completely to avoid harsh penalties.
The DVLA website details how it’s illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle - including smartwatches.
If caught, drivers who have only passed their test in the past two years could risk losing their licence completely.
Other offenders could get three penalty points if they do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.
In more severe cases, drivers can be taken to court or fined up to £1,000 while lorry and bus drivers risk a £2,500 penalty.
The law still applies to drivers even if stopped at traffic lights, queuing in traffic, supervising a learner driver or holding and using a device that’s offline or in flight mode.
The only exception to using a device is in an emergency, if the vehicle is parked, or when making contactless payment while the vehicle is not moving, for example at a drive-through restaurant.
Driving and using any device, whether that’s a phone, tablet or smartwatch could either cause a serious accident or land drivers in trouble with the law, Wilmot said.
Motorists can put their watches in “do not disturb” mode while behind the wheel. They can also turn off the Siri or other voice-activated services to reduce notifications further.
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Motorists could get a minimum fine of £200 plus six points on their licence
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For those with an Apple Watch, Wilmot stated that for longer journeys, it’s worth turning off iPhone mirroring altogether so notifications do not pop up until the end of the journey.
