Is it okay to engage with your smartwatch while driving?

Under WA’s Road Traffic Code, a Visual Display Unit (VDU) is a device that can display images on a screen. WA Police considers that smartwatches meet this definition.

According to Regulation 264 of the Code, a driver must not operate a vehicle with a VDU switched on and displaying images if any part of the image is visible to the driver from a normal seated driving position, or if it could distract another driver.

The rule applies when the vehicle is in motion or is stationary but not parked.

So, in much the same way as a driver while operating a vehicle is not permitted to watch images on the screen of a portable device, such as a tablet, they are also restricted from viewing a smartwatch screen while it is being worn or anywhere else in the vehicle.

If the smartwatch is being used to operate mobile phone functions, such as calls, messages, emails, notifications or apps, this is also considered mobile phone use under Regulation 265.

The only situation where a regular driver is permitted to use a VDU device is where it is being used as a driver’s aid, such as for navigation. A VDU used as a driver’s aid must either be integrated into the vehicle design or secured in a commercially manufactured mounting affixed to the vehicle. It cannot be worn on a wrist.

Misusing a VDU in a vehicle attracts three demerit points, while using a smartwatch to operate mobile phone functions can attract higher penalties.