For many years, the authorities have been telling us to leave our phones well alone when driving – even when we’re pulled up in traffic.

The Highway Code also states you shouldn’t use or hold any device that can receive or send data when behind the wheel, unless you are safely parked up.

But what many of us don’t realise is the same rule also applies to smartwatches.

Not so smart

Using a smartwatch while at traffic lights, in traffic or while driving (see below) could land you with a £200 fine plus six points on your licence.

And remember – get six points on your licence in the first two years of driving and your licence will be taken from you. Cue needing to take your theory and practical driving test all over again.

You can also expect your insurance premiums to go through the roof.

Too common

It may sound like common sense not to use a smartwatch while in transit but a 2022 survey by ChooseMyCar.com revealed many drivers are interacting with their smartwatches when behind the wheel.

For instance, 43% of drivers admitted to using their smartwatch while on the road with 58% of younger drivers fessing up to doing it.

Worst still, 18% revealed they read a message or notification when it arrived and 14% said they even replied to a message using their smartwatch while driving.

Mounting problem

ChooseMyCar.com’s founder, Nick Zapolski says that, “these statistics show a terrifying trend of UK drivers – especially younger ones – feeling that it’s acceptable to use their smartwatches despite how this impacts their driving.

“As the use of these devices becomes more prolific, that means there will be literally millions of drivers behaving like this.”

Bigger danger

Perhaps most worryingly, a study by HEC Montréal Tech3Lab has also revealed using a smartwatch while driving is actually a bigger distraction than using a mobile phone.

It also discovered that the most dangerous form of message delivery are notifications delivered to a smartwatch.

Our advice? Turn off notifications on your smartwatch before you set off so you can focus on the road ahead.

If not, there’s a very real chance you can kiss your hard-won licence goodbye. Or worse.

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Main photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

Smartwatch photo by Artur Łuczka on Unsplash