First Fine for Using Apple Watch While Driving In Canada

In Quebec, the police have fined a man for change tracks with Apple Watch while driving. The popularization of the Smartwatch entail changes in different aspects of our society, but certainly one that will require special attention is road safety. Today, punishment with significant fines for those individuals who speak or use phone while driving, but what about smartwatches? What is the treatment that should be given?

A Canadian citizen has had the honor of being one of the first to be fined for using a Smartwatch, specifically its Apple Watch. Apparently, the man had his iPhone connected to the audio system of the car and was using his Apple Watch to change songs, unaware of the presence of a police officer, he was arrested and later fined for being using what he described as “hand phone”.

It is curious how many people still do not know exactly what term to use to refer to the Smartwatch, as is quite clear that conventional clocks are not simple, but by no means can be considered to be a “hand phone.” Now it remains to see if a Smartwatch can cause enough distraction to get to be a real danger at the wheel.

Of course, any action that imposes look away from the road will create a significant risk, so it seems that in this case the police did well to fine the man. In fact, a study just months ago showing that the Smartwatch can provoke more distractions for the drivers like using smartphones, a fact that gives food for thought.

The Smartwatch can provoke more distractions at the wheel.

In this regard, the Canadian road safety laws focus on regulating and punishing the use of certain objects behind the wheel, instead of punishing the behavior of ducts. That is, there is no doubt that Apple Watch can be a source of distraction depending on how we use it, but it is absurd to assume that just by wearing it is an indication of administrative offense.

As reported in Slashgear, we are confident that in coming years many more cases like this and will gradually, lawmakers will take up the position setting smart watches on driving and road safety. This is, so far, the first known traffic violation case involving a smartwatch, much less a very new Apple Watch. It does bring to light the same question that Google Glass faced a few years back. What constitutes a handheld device under traffic laws, and does a smartwatch, which you technically don’t hold in your hand, count? What do you think? How should punish the use of a Smartwatch at the wheel?

Via slashgear