Distracted Driving Laws Yet to Catch Up With Apple Watch

While several states and countries have laws in place that make operating a handheld device such as a smartphone or portable media player illegal, the release of the Apple Watch has created a gray area in terms of distracted driving legislation. Given that the Apple Watch is technically not a handheld device, the laws in many jurisdictions are left open to interpretation at this point.

Apple Watch Driving
Regardless of the laws in your local area, it is highly recommended that you keep your eyes on the road and remain focused on driving at all times. Using your Apple Watch while driving is dangerous for both you and the drivers sharing the road with you, no matter how skilled of a driver you may be, and distracted driving in general is still a punishable offense in many jurisdictions.

United States

In the United States, many states have similar distracted driving laws with different conditions that must be followed. All states except Arizona, Missouri and Montana have a text messaging ban that could extend to the Apple Watch, or confirmed plans to enact one within the next six months, and Arizona is the only state without a text messaging ban for novice drivers entirely.

None of the U.S. states have updated their distracted driving laws to specifically address the Apple Watch or other wearable devices¹, and National Safety Council CEO Deborah Hersman confirmed in April that no states currently have plans to do so. Essentially, this means that the Apple Watch may be legal to use or operate while driving, but it is still highly unrecommended.

Additionally, some states have more general laws about which electronic devices are banned while driving. In Oregon, for example, the state law specifically bans drivers from holding or operating "mobile communication devices," which it defines as "a text messaging device or a wireless, two-way communication device," which could be interpreted to include the Apple Watch.


Last month, a Coalition Against Distracted Driving led by Stephen L. Joseph filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles court against Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft, seeking an injunction that would require the companies to fund an "effective and ongoing" national public education campaign in the United States that explain the risks of using smartwatches and smartphones while driving.

To check distracted driving laws on a state-by-state basis, the U.S. government has setup a useful website called Distraction.gov that displays an interactive map outlining primary and secondary laws for text messaging and cell phone use behind the wheel. Currently, 45 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers, which could apply to the Apple Watch.

Canada

In Ontario, it is illegal for drivers to talk, text, type, dial or email using hand-held cell phones and other hand-held communications and entertainment devices², such as smartphones, portable media players, GPS systems and laptops. The province has not currently designated the Apple Watch or other smartwatches as being illegal to use while operating a motor vehicle.

Nevertheless, endangering others because of any distraction in Ontario can result in being charged with careless driving, which carries penalties of six demerit points, fines up to $2,000 and/or a jail term of six months and up to a two-year license suspension. Ontario Provincial Police officers are free to interpret the Ontario Highway Traffic Act as they wish as it relates to distracted driving.

Québec's Highway Safety Code outlaws holding or operating handheld electronic devices with a telephone function while driving, but does not make any references to the Apple Watch or other wearable devices. The Canadian Press reported in September 2014 that Québec was reviewing its distracted driving law³, but the province has yet to make any changes to date.

British Columbia has a similar ban on holding or operating handheld electronic devices while driving, but has not specifically outlawed using the Apple Watch behind the wheel. The province's Motor Vehicle Act further stipulates that drivers must not send or receive text messages or emails on any type of electronic device, and new and learning drivers are prohibited from using any electronic devices while driving.

Ultimately, this information should be followed for reference only and does not serve as legal advice. We encourage drivers in various countries to check their local laws for the most accurate and up-to-date information. More importantly, remember that you are sharing the road with others and drive safely.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 9
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Top Rated Comments

ElRojito Avatar
116 months ago
Saw this coming a mile away. The driver didn't, though.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Komrad808 Avatar
116 months ago
Soon there will be a bill that will ban all electronic use while driving. But we still can eat, drink (a beverage) and put on make up while driving.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DudeDad Avatar
116 months ago
How many are reading this while driving?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
raj Avatar
116 months ago
Not a new problem

Come on, people! This isn't a new problem. Smart watches have been available for quite a few years now and Apple is only the latest version (and not necessarily the best). Driver distraction is driver distraction, regardless of the origin of the distraction. We don't need a specific law about every possible distraction. What about people who drive with a baby in a carrier in the back seat? Do we have a specific law about that distraction? What about male drivers with their wife or girlfriend wearing a short skirt in the passenger seat? Do we have a law about *that* distraction?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
qpid360 Avatar
116 months ago
Kinda crazy that I'm wearing almost the exact same thing at work today.

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WestonHarvey1 Avatar
116 months ago
driving and texting is the easiest thing....theres a bunch of stupid people that cant multi task jacking people up.

I would bet you aren't as good at it as you think you are.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...