Updated

Updated · rac.co.uk · Jun 23

RAC Says 34% of Smartwatch-Using Drivers Risk UK Offence as Law Leaves Use Unclear

Updated

Updated · rac.co.uk · Jun 23

RAC Says 34% of Smartwatch-Using Drivers Risk UK Offence as Law Leaves Use Unclear

Q: A year after the RAC's warning, has UK law clarified the rules for drivers using smartwatches?

No. A year after the RAC’s 2025 warning, there is still no clear, smartwatch-specific change in UK law setting out exactly what drivers can and cannot do with these devices at the wheel. The position remains that UK rules clearly ban holding and using a mobile phone or other handheld interactive communication device while driving, but they do not expressly define smartwatch use in the same way. That leaves a legal grey area over actions such as tapping a smartwatch, reading notifications or using voice commands. That does not mean drivers are safe from prosecution. Police can still act if smartwatch use distracts a driver or affects control of the vehicle. Depending on the circumstances, that could lead to penalties for not being in proper control, or in more serious cases, careless or dangerous driving. Some legal interpretations could also try to treat certain smartwatch interactions as falling within existing handheld-device rules, but that remains unsettled. The Department for Transport has acknowledged the broader issue of evolving technology and said motoring offences are under review, but the available material shows no published clarification or new legislation specifically resolving smartwatch use by mid-2026. So the practical advice has not changed: drivers should avoid interacting with a smartwatch while driving. The law may still be ambiguous, but the enforcement risk and road-safety risk are both real.

2 articles · Updated · rac.co.uk · Jun 23

34% of motorists who use smartwatches while driving could be unknowingly breaking the law, according to an RAC study highlighting a legal grey area around what counts as "use."
13% said they touch their smartwatch at the wheel, 12% use voice commands only and 9% do both, actions that may fall under handheld phone rules carrying six points and a £200 fine.
56% of smartwatch-owning drivers use the devices on at least most journeys, mainly to check the time, view notifications, navigate or make calls.
40% of drivers own a smartwatch, rising to 73% among 17- to 34-year-olds, increasing pressure on lawmakers to clarify rules as 2022 mobile-phone restrictions did not clearly address watches.
Even without a specific smartwatch offence, distracted drivers can still face a £100 fine and three points for not being in proper control, with more serious careless or dangerous driving charges also possible.